CLOSER SETTLEMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1804, 21 March 1918, Page 2

CLOSER SETTLEMENT.

THE Hou. W. E. Massey informed a Palmerston Standard reporter that he was very favourably impressed with his visit.to the Lower Manawatu District on Saturday, and also with the estates lie inspected at Levin, Otuki, and in the vicinity of Foxton, for soldier settlement. The Moutoa estate appeared to he a very suitable property. The matter of purchase, however, was one in which price was an important factor. The question of acquiring a suitable property in the Manawatu was now being considered. Me are pleased to know that suitable property in this district is being considered for closer settlement. Some years ago a petition was forwarded to the Government, containing some GOO signatures, asking that land be acquired at Moutoa for this purpose. Officers of the Land Purchase Department visited the locality, but their reports have not yet been published, It is unnecessary to state that the land under discussion is pre-eminently suitable for close settlement and intense cultivation. But the owners don’t want to sell. Ob- . jection has been made to the effect that the land is subject to floods, and that its acquisition would be detrimental to the hemp industry. The flooding could be dealt with if a Board were set up to construct protective works. As for the flax, no one suggests its destruction. The millers could he allowed to purchase their own blocks of flax-lands, and the Government could make reservations for cultivation,etc. There is a grave menace to the industry if large areas of flax land is monopolised by private ownership. According to valuation for taxation purposes, the purchase price should not be an insuperable barrier, as we believe the land is valued at £7 per acre. We hope that the new Minister for Lands will make further and closer investigation in respect to the lands suitable for settlement in this district.