SETTLEMENT OF THE MAKERUA.

Otaki Mail, 6 September 1922, Page 4

SETTLEMENT OF THE MAKERUA.

I A large area oi ihe Makerua swamp i lauds, which are no longer profitable t ior haxmilling owing to the ravages i oi ine yellow teal disease, is shortly Ito be turned to better account ami i converted into larming properly. The country affected will comprise some IJ.UUU acres, and is owned by the lla.v unllers in that district, i lie sysetm of banking which is now being un ileilaken will Jree Ihe land lrom tin. danger of Hoods, winch will be nece= ■ sarv when settlement commences. .-. loading sysettn has already been la a. out, and Messrs Seiiert will com- , meiice ;he surveying of their portion : ol the area to be cut up within a lew : weeks. The sclieme lias been held up ! in some extent by the general condii Huns prevailing, but preparations are i j progressing steadily, and everything lis in older lor commencing ;u any '. tune. J NEW MAIN UOAD. ; J'art ol the scheme provides for a main read running lrom ihe MakeMia railway station through the settlement area to the Manawatu River, joining up "ii the- other side with die present* main road toj J,'aluu!r»ton. ii.'c route across the Makerua country is level, and in time should provide, a popular means oi travel, le sides having the advantage oi reduc-

Sj ing the distance to i'almerston by I some mx miles. It. will also cut out 1 1 lie hilly country on the present Toko- | mam and Eilzherberi route, and in tad will give level going lrom - I Paekakai iki to any of ihe northern | districts. 1 lie settiemeni scheme, s however, does not provide for Die \ bridging of the Manawatu at Uangi--1 f tane. this will be a matter for the \ Government. IDEAL FARMING COL'NTKY. ; l-'ieed lrom llie flood menace and : pioperly drained and settled, the Ma | kerua should make ideal tanning • country. The experience in othei i parts ol New /.calami with drained I swamp is "l the most successful kiui!. J ! and it is noi tou rnucli to forecast thai I in the course ol a few years prosperI ous laiuis will dot the landscape. Kven in its present rough condition' 'lie land produces a luxuriant growth ■ native and otliei grasses of first-! | \ liiic [aliening uualilv . Mr li. T. Beli ' i : ami 'itlu-i- owners have some very j I fine iracis ol swamp laud under j grass, where the growth \> excellent. j and has given the besi results in the I latii'iiing uf stock. The land in qua lily should ii"! differ to any great ex- ; u.'iii i roiu i hat ol riie Moutoa, or I lie j Kuku at i.iiiau, and these rwo loealii lies are recognised as ihe mosl proi diielive "ii l-his coast, and equal 1" 11 if hi'si in the Uomiiiion. Thai bei iny so. iliu sclieme, whilst involving a large sum of money and an immense amount ol labour, has even l'ios(>eci ul success ahead, and si Id oi thoroughly .sound lrom a business poiui "I view. When the plans have ; been matured, and farm holdings oiJ i-upy ihc land which bus hitherto been ■ •"\ i'l'ed v, iili flax .and the ' usual' swamp growths, Hie whole insure ol this pari of the country will be Chung-j id. The flax harvests of old will give place i" the produclioii ol btiti tci lat and other farm produce, .did knowing the quality "i the land, iiu-l 1 melons hiinilies should lind profitable j einjdoyineni and comfortable homes i "ii the new settiemeni which the en j seni owner- is bringing into being.