OPENING UP NEW LANDS.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 221, 26 January 1928, Page 5

OPENING UP NEW LANDS.

GOVERNMENT’S POLICY DISCUSSED.

DRIVINS FORCE NECESSARY TO OVERCOME DIFFICULTIES.

A “White” New Zealand and Yeoman Stock Wanted

No. 111. The Hon. Ministers of Lands and Agriculture exaggerate difficulties. During the past 10 days press reports of their tear of Northland contained each day some remark by one of these gentlemen on the difficulty of settling some block or other that was brought to their notice on the tour. On swamp land it was the cost of drainage ; on gum land the expense of laying down pastures ; hill country was too isolated for treeplanting ; fiats needed settlers with capital ; there were no roads ; and markets were too far away. For every proposition there was a ready reply pointing out the “ difficulty ” in connection with it, and these difficulties were harped upon until one was reminded', of a spoiled child. Such a negative attitude of mind has unfortunately been characteristic of the Hons. D. J. McLeod and O. Hawken, who are holding what ought to be regarded as two of the most important portfolios in the Cabinet. | It is a hopeless outlook, and will get j them nowhere. What these two gen- | tlemen need is, in a relative sense, a J good dose of what they probably had in their school days—a hundred times “ There is no such word as “ can’t.” Always Difficulties. Of course there are difficulties. All lands requiring settlement to-day are ..hedged about with difficulties. The days of first-class clean land of easy access are long past. All such areas have been snapped up for decades, and it was because of the numerous -difficulties attaching to the balance that it was passed over. Everyone is perfectly well aware of this fact, so that there is no need for Ministers of the Crown to stump the countryside emphasising the obvious. What the country wants to know, and what j the country has a right to expect, is : What are the intentions of the Minis~ters of Lands and Agriculture for j overcoming these difficulties ? It is j their job to frame proposals to deal , with the situation, and it is because ■ they have up to the present been so j barren of ideas in this and other . directions that they have been sub- j ject to so much derisive comment up j and down the country: As has been stated in previous i articles, a totally-new outlook is needed. The old idea of paddling | along within very narrow ednfines, J which has been the visionless policy for nearly the past two decades, must be scrapped. If pre-conceived J ideas are dropped, and the problem is looked at from the point of view of getting things done, half the Ministerial troubles would vanish, for they are largely of their own making. Again, some of the troubles are no longer difficulties, for science and the march of events has smoothed many out, though barricades of red tape have prevented a realisation of this in certain quarters. A “ White ” New Zealand. What the difficulties? Are they insuperable ? Can they be surmounted sufficiently to enable a forward move in land settlement at a period of New Zealand’s history when sufch a policy is most imperative? We believe they can, and that the bulk of them are magnified to an absurd degree in the Ministers’ minds by (1) fear of failure, and further condemnation of the Government; (2) a defensive or negative policy engendered by the forgoing attitu e W mind. Science has and is overcoming many difficulties which attached to land settlement in the past, and with close co-operation of all departments interested, there is no reason whatsoever why a fresh period of successful land settlement should not be inaugurated. The economic position of New Zealand demands it, the economic position of the Old Country demands it, while for sour own national safety we shoul -do our utmost to encourage the emi- , gration of as many settlers for the land from the Mother Country as possible, in order to safeguard us against the envious eyes of teaming millions at hand. The recent lazy attitude, of mind of our statesmen wonjJiHL), and unless they are prejT"' tackle and overcome the

difficulties attaching to land settlement, they will .find that shortly they may be replaced by others who have greater vision on the subject. The present negative policy of land administration has resulted in an influx of Dalmations, Austrians, Belgians, Chinamen, and the like, many of whom may make quite excellent settlers, but nevertheless they ai'e not of our stock, nor of our ideals. Some attempt has been made at times to defend their presence and to point out that such members of other races are prepared to go and work under conditions in places where members of our own race would not live. This is largely a libel, and almost wholly, but an excuse for Government inactivity, for it relieves the Cabinet from taking action. New Zealand desires its own stock, and it is Cabinet’s job to see that such are encouraged to come here and settle. Tourist Roads. We have shown in a previous article that the present railway policy i in its relation to land setlement is wrong. Were an attempt made to intensely settle all lands contiguous to, and for a distance of 30 miles on either side of, all railways, a different story could be told. With such settlement, further lines or good roads could be pushed out at greater speed, and at no burden to the country, thus opening up new districts. Then again there is much truth in the cry of many farmers that too much highways money is being allocated for “ tourist ” roads, and not enough for “ feeder ” roads at right angles to the railways. Also, the question of markets is not a parochial one. Northland will in time become a veritable Garden of Eden, a great proportion of it being eminently suitable for intensive culture o ? early garden produce, and for f vrpes, citrus and other fruits. If the Minister, in referring to, markets, meant local markets, he may to a certain extent be right. The local market is far too restricted to absorb even a tithe of what the North alone will produce at an early date, though even now it is a payable proposition to grow early vegetables, such as potatoes and peas. These can be landed in Auckland a month before the produce of Pukekclie, and the market for such grows yearly. It is, however, to foreign markets that the Minister should cast his eyes. In lemons and apples, New Zealand can equal the .world, and she has this great advantage, that such products would land in the markets of the Old Country, which are insatiable, in between seasons—in other words, in later winter and spring, when fruit in England is scarce. With properlyfostered settlement there is work for thousands in forming orchards in the North. It is no idle suggestion; it is no dream. The market has already been proved by our Southern fruitgrowers, while anyone who has toured Northland has seen on every hand the wonderful possibilities in this direction in the shape of the luscious fruit already- grown there in isolated and non-commercial instances. Beats Waikato. But Northland is not only an orchardist’s paradise. It is a fine centre for the dairy and sheep farmer. After several tours hundreds of miles above Auckland, the writer is more than even convinced that it has a future second to no other part of New Zealand. But a few weeks ago, in conversation with a friend who is a Government land official, thoroughly conversant with the Waikato and West Coast districts, and whose duties for the past two years have taken him to thousands of farms between''Henderson and the North Cape, the writer put the question: “ What is your opinion of the .North?” Without hesitation the answer came: “It is a wonderful district. The flats are better than the -best-'of the Waikato, and the hills are better than the best Raglan sheep country.” Great Possibilities. Unfortunately, with true political I muddling, the railway and main 1 roads run through the worst of the

country. This may be a good thing in the end, but at present it is a big handicap to settlement, for the visitor has to get off the train and on to the by-roads if he wishes to see the best of the country-side. There are thousands upon thousands of acres awaiting settlement, while immense blocks hardly scratched are being held up for lack of means for cutting up. From Faperoa to Dargaville "there are 80,000 acres of the finest swamp which should carry a cow to the acre, and which now has not an eighth of that amount. Surrounding Kaikohe, 20,000 acres of beautiful flats equal to those of Canterbury lie idle in native hands. Thousands upon thousands of acres of semi-volcanic hill country, tested to be ideal for sheep, await the formation of feeder roads. The latent wealth of the North is vast to an incalculable degree, yet it has its parallels in other parts. There is plenty of land as yet untouched, there is no shortage, but what is wanted is a courageous and far-seeing Minister with the necessary driving force to overcome the traditions, and difficulties, and red tape which have so far prevented it from bearing fruit. Mr. McLeod has stated his desire to investigate, and also the possibility of yearly providing work for the surplus from the labour market. Will he act, or will he shelve the problem because of “ difficulties ” which beset not only all statesmen, but even any ordinary progressive businessman ?