PUTARURU PROBLEMS.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 281, 28 March 1929, Page 4

PUTARURU PROBLEMS.

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER. Enquiry Asked For. Consideration Promised. The Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Hon. G. W. Forbes, paid his first official visit to Putaruru on Thursday. Accompanied by a large official party, the Minister left Rotorua shortly after 9 o’clock in the morning and was met at Atiamuri by a Putaruru delegation consisting of Messrs. G. G. Griffiths (chairman of the Town Board), J. R. O. Lochhead (Chamber of Commerce) and M. E. Fitzgerald (Matamata County Council). A comprehensive tour of the district was entered on, the party first going to Ongaroto and visiting Tokoroa en route to Putaruru, which was reached about 4.20 p.m. After afternoon tea the party proceeded to the Oddfellows’ Hall, where several deputations waited on the Minister.

The first deputation was that headed by the Putaruru Town Board, which acted for and in conjunction with several local bodies. Mr. G. G. Griffiths, chairman of the Town Board, acted as spokesman. Before Mr. Griffiths spoke, Mr. C. H. Clinkard, M.P. for Rotorua, briefly introduced the deputation. Mr. Griffiths said they asked for an inquiry into certain disabilities they thought the town and district laboured under. They also sought ' assistance in organising the district from an efficiency point of view. He would place their requests under three headings:— 1. Removal of stigma affecting town and district in regard to finance.

2. Using the Taupo Totara Timber Company’s line to encourage settlement. 3. Planting trees on farm lands. The Town Board and the Chamber of Commerce had requested all the other local bodies interested to pass resolutions along these lines, and in every instance such resolutions had been carried unanimously. They placed all their cards on the table. It was admitted that there was sickness, but it was of a diminishing quantity and it only affected a small • area, but nevertheless the district had j a black ring around it. It was common talk among the legal profession that if when a request for a loan was made, it was said to be 4 5 miles from Putaruru there was not a hope of it going through, but if 25 miles from Tirau it was alright.

Mr. Griffiths reminded the Minister that he had that afternoon met Mr. Mossop, chairman of the Tokoroa Dairy Company, who though out of a sick area, could not get a loan. The Minister had also met Mr. Dyson, who farms 100 acres and whose returns totalled £672 last year, in addition to a pig cheque for £35. In February of this year the factory cheque was £126, and in March £lO2. Mr. Dyson was now milking 60 cows. Mr. Dyson was only in his third year on the farm. The party had passed over Mr. Leslie’s farm and they had seen what this class of country was capable of being turned into. Mr. Leslie’s produce had gained many awards at shows, including the Waikato Winter Show at Hamilton. During the past two years 250 cattle had been bought and fattened each year on this farm, and 500 sheep kept each year, so that gave an indication of what the land would do.

Regarding the stigma on the district another factor could be mentioned and that was when the Putaruru Town Board was formed it came into being with a practically clean sheet. They applied for a loan to the Public Trustee, but nothing was heard from that office for months, and then a visit was paid to Wellington, the result being that, an official was instructed to visit Putaruru from Hamilton. He did not do so, however, but he got in touch with Putaruru by telephone merely to ask what general rate would be struck the next year. They got the monev from other sources. “ There is a blotch on this country, and if it bad got out that the Town Board had been turned down it might have had a serious effect.” He personally had travelled a few years ago with a Government official and the latter gentleman had ran the district down. Thev felt that thev were up against a brick wall and that the feeling against the district was in Wellington.

On the second point of efficient organisation, the'”' were endeavouring to follow the Minister’s own advice on this point. They realised that thev had to be efficient, before asking fer loans. In asking for an enquiry they asked it to be onen to the public and the press. Enquiries behind closed doors did not create a com-

fortable feeling in the minds of the public. Gur lands present certain problems and it was felt that land boards were a thing of the past. They needed reorganisation, with local men fitted with local knowledge.

A case in point was that of an Arapuni resident who had 400 acres, and who wrote to the Land Board asking to be allowed to cut it up into two farms of 100 acres each. The Land Board replied that they had to decline permission as pumice land was not suitable for cutting up into such small holdings.

Mr. J. B. Thompson (Under-Socre-tarv of Lands) here interjected that the position was being wrongly put by Mr. Griffiths. The people concerned were not able to finalise matters, and the suggestion that the Land Board refused permission to allow the farm to oe cut up was wrong.

Continuing, Mr. Griffiths said that they had to judge by results, and he felt that land boards were out of date and out of touch with current problems.

Discussing the Taupo Totara Timber Company’s line, the speaker said about six months ago they had succeeded in getting . reduced manure freights. Prior to this freights on manures were 10s per ton from Putaruru to Tokoroa. Lack of iron in the soil could be more easily overcome if farmers were able to get manures out cheaply. The rate was now 6d a ton (through rates) as against 10s previously. Two years ago cheese cost 3s Id a crate from Tokoroa to Putaruru, with another 3s a crate from Putaruru to Auckland. Motor lorries came along and transported it at about 2s per crate. The public enquiry they were asking for should in--'■ude the question of the Taupo Totara Timber Company’s line for the ] benefit of the settlers there now and for future occupants of the Crown land block. In this connection the j company are prepared to attend the enquiry and put their cards on the table. They (the deputation) asked the Government to become partners, for the Railway Department owned 1000 acres in this vicinity. The subsidy would be wiped out in time, by the freights. If the line is to be used the timber in the district must bear the cost of it. and the whole question of the consolidation of timber interests should be inquired into. Coming to the afforestation of farm lands, Mr. Griffiths quoted Mr. F. Lve, M.P. for Waikato, a member of the United Party, who snent three days in the district with the Parliamentary party recently, as saying it was an absolute eye-opener to him for he (Mr. Lye) regarded is as the most easily worked and cheapest of anv land he had seen. This was the verdict of a practical farmer, and » this after seeing the pumice lands. The New Zealand Perpetual Forests had recently stated that their policv had been not to plant on land that should be settled, for they'were out to encourage settlement, as it would assist them in the long run. There was a large tract of land of millions of acres available for settlement, and they held the Putaruru district could be treated, at little cost, as an experimental area for this block. In view of what the party had seen that day they believed that their requests were reasonable.

Mr. K. S. Cox pointed out in regard to the Taupo Totara Timber Company line there was available six hundred million feet of timber in addition to that of the Taupo Totara Timber Company’s for milling. The farmers wanted to get through rates for stock, etc. As many as 40 lorries a day were to be seen in operation. The whole of the traffic should be on the T.T. line. The company was agreeable to an encruiry and having the prices fixed. The Government should ascertain the capital value of the line and also define its policy in regards to its own hush. There was enough bush to last 35 years, or approximately 20 million feet for 30 years. The freight could be based on that amount. The Taupo Totara Company never carried more than 7.000 000 feet. If freights were reasonable it would encourage all owners to mill, and if settlers got

through freight rates it would encourage settlement of this district. With regards to tree planting, Mr. Cox said that 85,000 acres of 169.000 acres in his riding were held by fo»"strv companies, and the land so held would be perpetually rated on unimproved value, so that the riding was going to be hit for all time. The council were not against tree planting, hut they were out to stop it on ploughnble land. Mr. Fitzgerald (Matamata County Council) stated that loan proposals for a third of a million, spread over ten years, had been carried, the Tokoroa riding carrying it unanimously, while several other southern booths had done likewise. These were the settlers that they had met that day and the fact that they supported a loan proposal that meant extra rates showed that they had faith

in the district. The county was nowdotted with trees that should be potential 1 farms. The council had spent during five years £217,678. and the rates for the same period were: 192425, total £17,574, general £14,920i 1925-26, total £IS,9SS, generiU £14,891; 1926-27, total £22,733, general £15,614; 1927-28, total £21,594, general £14,817; 1928-29, £27,536, general £15,745. The Rotorua people had no doubt told them their side of the story about a certain road, and he (Mr. Fitzgerald) said that the other side of the story was that the Main Highways Board about a year ago, at great expense, had this road formed from a mud track. It was used primarily and almost solely for tourist traffic, and they had succeeded in getting it classified for 2i ton traffic. The Rotorua people -had accused them of blocking the outlet from Rotorua. Whereas they had actually made it an inlet, as there were nowseveral motor services there. Mr. Forbes first expressed his pleasure in visiting the district and having the opportunity of having a look around. It was hurried, but this was unavoidable, as he had to visit other parts of the Dominion. He had visited Putaruru many years years ago, but then did not see it under the conditions he saw it that day. There was a great deal of development going on, but this was not common to Putaruru. Considerable benefit was being obtained from the use of manures.

In regard to the financial cloud referred to by Mr. Griffiths. Mr. Forbes said that if there existed an element of doubt of the soundness of the security it made people pull in their horns. A bad impression is often created and the impression remains long after the means of creating such an unfavourable impression have been removed. Before advances could be made a valuation had to be made by the Valuation Department, and as that department is under Mr. Forbes’ control he promised to go into the matter and discuss it with Ids officers to see if any applications for loans from this district had been turned down.

Settlers starting on this land must have finance. “ What I have seen today and from statements produced the farmers are able to show substantial returns," said Mr. Forbes, and the matter requires further consideration.”

With reference to the Taupo Totara Timber Company’s line Mr. Forbes said he would also go into the matter and see how it stood. At the time Mr. Forbes was on Parliamentary Commission the company wanted the State to purchase the line. He believed the line could be of considerable value to settlement and that considerable settlement could be effected by this line. Regarding bush available for milling, that was a concern of the Forestry Department and he would place it under the notice of the Minister in charge of that department.

He learned with pleasure that the Perpetual Forests Company was prepared to help settlement. Speaking of tree planting by companies and the Government Mr. Forbes questioned if they had not reached the position when settlement would be of more benefit to the country than tree planting. This required going into to see if land that was being put into trees should not be thrown open for settlement. “ Afforestation is a sound policy but if we go over the line there is a danger,” said the Minister. “ A limit should Ibe placed on land for trees. A freeholder has the right to sell his land, and the State cannot interfere with the freehold, but if it is detrimental then the State has its remedy in taxation. If land suitable for settlement is planted with trees then the owners should be called on to pay a heavy tax. It is in the best interests of the country to use all the land suitable for settlement. I believe, however, that afforestation will be valuable in the future.” Mr. Griffiths said the Minister had stated that he would inquire into their representations. Would this include their request for a public inquiry ? Mr. Forbes : Yes, certainly. The Ministerial party left later for Okoroire.