NGAKURU LAND

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 264, 1 July 1932, Page 6

NGAKURU LAND

REASONS WHY SELECTION BY PUBLIC IS DELAYED NEED FOR CONSOLIDATION The Department of Agriculture has eome in for some. criticism on account of the fact that, instead of throwing the whole * of the grassed area at Ngakuru open for selection and settlement, they have placed some seven sharemilkers on the allotment. The department's reasons for this were outlined to a "Post" representar tive yesterday -by Mr. J. W. Deem, Director of the Feilds Division of the Department of Agriculture. Mr. Deem explained that some four thousand acres were sown in grass at Ngakuru at present. In the class of country under development, however, it was necessary to proceed with caqtion as precipitate and ill-advised action might easily undo much of the good work that had been done and give this and similar schemes a setback. It was essential that the ground should be given every eare and attention during the next twelve months so ;that it would be able to consolidate and produce the maximun result with well-ropted grass. It was necessary also that the topdressing and fertilising for the next twelve months should be in under expert supervision and this was a matter which the department felt bound to control. Mr. Deem expressed confidence in the future of the scheme, but for the reasons outlined above, he did not wish the success of the project j eopardised by undue precipitancy in the early stages. This matter was important, not only from the point of view of the potential settler but also as a protection of the public money which had been invested in the developmental work.