SETTLING PUMICE LANDS.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 243, 28 June 1928, Page 5

SETTLING PUMICE LANDS.

DEPUTATION MEETS MR. HOCKLY. Request For Commission Keenly Supported. Unfair Stigma on Fruitful Lands. “ I am satisfied you have done the right thing, and I will get the Government to set up a Commission of Enquiry if possible. The district has been treated unfairly, and this must be remedied in future. All you have asked for is simply that you be given fair play.”

On Wednesday a deputation organised by the Putaruru Chamber of Commerce waited upon Mr. F. F. Hockly, M.P., in the Oddfellows’ Hall, when several burning questions touching the Putaruru district were thoroughly gone into, and a request made that he use his influence in an endeavour to get a Commission of Enquiry set up to sift to the bottom the points raised. Objects of Enquiry. The objects of the enquiry were set forth as being: 1. A delimitation of the sick areas by grading same so that the present stigma which appertains most unjustly to the whole district may be removed. 2. The enquiry to deal with allegations that the Putaruru district is not securing fair treatment from Government departments in regard to advances on loan. 3. Scope of enquiry to include prospects of settling areas of pumice land under Government supervision.

Mr. J. W. Barr Brown, president of the Putaruru Chamber of Commerce, presided, and the deputation includ d Messrs. J. R. O. Lochhead, H. J. W. Scott, A. R. Vosper and G. G. Griffiths, representing the chamber, and Messrs. J. Campbell, A. Carruthers and A. J. Ingle, Tokoroa. Outline of Requests.

In opening, Mr. Griffiths mentioned the fact that there were difficulties in the way of the deputation’s requests, and some slight opposition. There were, however, difficulties in the way of everything worth while, and always some who took the contrary view. He wished to particularly stress two points, however: 1. That the Putaruru Chamber of Commerce, the Putaruru Town Board and the Matamata County Council were unanimous in their desire for an enquiry, though the latter had only discussed the subject in its relation to tree-planting. 2. That the deputation did not, as had been stated, desire to stop any enterprise in any way. It was out to help, and was constructive in its aims.

If the Railway Department regarded, as it should do, every acre as a potential customer, then there were on the Lichfield side of Putaruru 30,000 acres of land in blocks of 750 acres or over, some point of which was within three miles of a railway line. Mr. Hockly himself had stated that day that there were 2,000,000 acres of pumice land suitable for settlement, but this area was yet to be served by means of access, while that near Putaruru was already served. Small farms, reasonable finance, and plenty of manure were essential to success, and he knew of no land in New Zealand which was cheaper at the price than some near Putaruru.

Cards on Table. It was said the land was sick. The deputation did not deny that; it wasprepared to lay all the cards on the table knowing it must win its case. Waotu land was not. sick and never had been. Tokoroa bills were in the same category and. there were other areas besides.

At Waotu, after 10 years from the unimproved state, 300 sheep, 100 head of cattle and 7 horses had been wintered on 200 acres by one farmer. Seventy of the cattle were milking cows, 40 doing over 3001 b and one over 4001 b of butter-fat in the season. There were thousands of acres of similar land available, and he doubted if the figures mentioned could be bettered in New Zealand at the price. In regard to sick areas, reputable men—all farmers —like Messrs. H. J.

W. Scott, Worth Bros., A. R. Vosper j and many others, could testify that. in this district sickness could be overcome if the land was farmed in c —’l areas and top-dressed. At the _>t meeting of the Town Board such an experienced judge as Mr. Yandle had stated that local land improved every year, and that when top-dress-ed it gave wonderful results, and cattle-sickness was overcome. With such testimony it was idle for

anyone to condemn the district as a whole, and most reprehensible for Government officials to do so. The Official Attitude.

During the past few days he had been informed on most reliable authority that a Government official had blocked a sale of local land which had been sold at a reasonable price and which was being farmed successfully at Lichfield, by advising the purchaser it was sick. Other Government officials had openly condemned the district without any justification mainly through the red-tape and hide-bound methods which obtained in Government Departments. One Government department topped the New Zealand market at Westfield with stock from areas which another Government department condemned. The Putaruru Town Board when asking for a loan.—a first mortgage —had been bluntly turned down wholly in the speaker’s opinion because it was in a “ damned ” area, so far as Government officials were concerned.

The position was an intolerable one, and grossly unfair to many reputable and struggling settlers of years of standing, and all the deputation asked for was a righting of these wrongs and the removal of a stigma which prevented settlement on what had been proved to be some of the most productive land in New Zealand.

Government’s “ Bad Boy.” Mr. J. R. O. Lochhead stated that the whole district was undoubtedly suffering because some small parts were affected by sickness. It was like a whole school which was kept in because of one bad boy. (Laughter). Applications for financial aid from State lending departments by farmers in Putaruru, Lichfield and Tokoroa districts were invariably turned down or choked off, despite the assurance of valuers that they were practically set. It seemed there must be some reason, and it appeared to be that these districts were not regarded as being satisfactory, yet their present state totally disproved this from a practical point of view. It had. been suggested that when an application was put in it should be styled as being so many miles from Tirau instead of from Putaruru. I This was done and it came off. (Laughter). It thus appeared that if Tokoroa farmers could describe their properties as being so many miles from Wellington they might succeed. (Laughter). To give the Department is due, there were old loans at Tokoroa, but when refusals covered la period of years there was no doubt in his mind as to the attitude of Wellington. A curious anomaly was that when native lands were being purchased the valuations were fixed at, say, £lO. Yet if a loan were asked for the same valuer set a much lower figure. The deputation was not launching a direct attack on the Department, but they felt the district was black-marked, and that it was time a realisation was conveyed to Wellington so that a more reasonable view of the district might be adopted.

Holdings Too Big. Mr. Vosper urged that pumice land was suitable for closer land settlement. In the early days he had been told by an. employee of the old company that Matamata land was worthless. Yet he had bought at £lB and done well. In his opinion many failures were the result of men holding too much land and not through | bad farming or sickness. In regard I to larger areas he thought it might |be possible for the Department to | meet the farmer and the mortgagee j in some manner so that the former | could retain a portion and not have to walk off. He knew of a block which had changed hands many times through sickness, yet another man had come in and farmed it successfully. If a constructive -policy was evolved he felt certain that there .were many blocks which would support three or four families in comfort on which one man starved to- ■ day.

Better Than Swamp. Mr. H. J. W. Scott stated that near Matamata some years ago he had been told to walk off or- he would lose his all, yet he succeeded. He was firmly of the opinion that pumice country, where it could be ploughed, could be farmed successfully provided cheap manures were obtainable, He thought it would pay the Government over and over again to give concession on manures for these areas. The whole secret was manure, reasonable finance and roads. He would far sooner take up pumice country than swamp land. There was no cheaper country to be brought in to-day in New Zealand provided finance and manure was obtainable. “ Still Surviving.”

Mr. Carruthers stated that he had been told his place was sick and he would lose his cows. By using manure and farming in a reasonable manner he had survived four years. (Laughter). Next year he hoped to milk 50 cows and to date he had not been troubled with sickness. If three cwts of manure halved into two dressings were put on great results were achieved. In regard to grazing he knew of no district where cattle would fatten more quickly than at Tokoroa. Roots which were subjust to club-root and other diseases in Taranaki also did wonderfully well, and grew to perfection. The land was well suited for closer settlement. Tussock to Pasture.

Mr. Ingle stated that the district had been subject to most unfair criticism. Ten years ago Tokoroa country was growing nothing but tussock, and now there were over 10,000 acres of pasture. The factory started with one vat and they were now making provision for five. He strongly supported the request for an enquiry.

Assistance Secured. In reply, Mr. Hockly stated he was \ery pleased to have had the conference. He was convinced that the time had gone by for any dispute as to the value or productivity of pumice soil. Unfortunately, Mr. McLeod' had visited areas near Rotorua some time ago and the condition of the settlers was absolutely deplorable. This had put the wind up the Minister. There were difficulties in the way of any classification. The only tangible way he could think of was for farmers to produce their books, but few farmers kept books. In view of Ngaroma and other parts the Government was extremely shy in case of failure. However, he would be extremely pleased to advocate their case with the Minister.

In regard to finance, he agreed with them and maintained the Department should give a reason when they turned a man down. He was entitled to it. He thought it quite possible to get the land classified and was satisfied the day would come when it would be regarded as clean country. He had seen with his own eyes a wonderful difference in the last three years. If what had been stated in regard to a property not being sold were so, it was a scandalous thing, and he was 1 satisfied if he could get the letter the author would never have the opportunity to write another. He had advocated sub-division on the lines desired in the House. Eighty per cent of farmers in the Auckland province were holding too much land, in his opinion. To farm 1000 acres these days a man needed the Bank of New Zealand behind him. This trouble appeared on the Rangitikei swamp and he had appealed to the Government to evolve some scheme to help, but so far they had not been able to do so. He believed that in Taranaki it took 101 b of milk to make lib of cheese and only 91b in Tokoroa. He was satisfied Tokoroa could be made into some of the richest land in New Zealand if properly manured. Mr. Hockly then concluded his remarks with the words quoted at the head of these columns.