A DRAWBACK TO SETTLEMENT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 563, 30 April 1913, Page 5

A DRAWBACK TO SETTLEMENT.

SMALL BROKEN SECTIONS. EXTENDED AREAS ADVOCATED. A matter which hag an important bearing on the success of individual settlers in closely sottled districts Was brought bofore the Prime Minister at Tangitu, and as a result of tho sound practical knowledge of sottlemont conditions possessed by Mr Massey the matter was dealt with in a manner which should prove eminently satisfactory to all concerned. Mr McManus and several other settlers, waited on the Prime Minister with the request that thoy should bo allowed to acquire sections of unoccupied Crown land adjoining their present holdings. Tho reasons advanced by the applicants were that their present holdings were small and too broken to be suitably for dairying. In addition tho applicants .-ill had largo families varying in mimborp from six to twelve. Sotno of tho sons wore grown up, and if (ho extension of area was allowed it, would be possible for the members of tho family to work together on the larger area. On tho small pactions at present held by the applicants not more than ten per cent, of the land was suitable for dairying. Mr Massey said ho thoroughy understood tho position. A proportion of such cases was bound to occur in cutting up blocks for close settlement. The situation presented certain dijliculties, but he thought these might be overcome by treating the applications individually. "Some people call thin aggregation." said Mr Massey, "but they don't know what they are talking about. 1 call it common sense. It is an unfair handicap to saddle a, man with a small broken section which cannot be worked to advantage. If full particuiarn of the individual caees are sent to me I shall do my best to remedy the matter'.'