SCIENCE NEEDED FOR NGAROMA

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 127, 19 August 1927, Page 13

SCIENCE NEEDED FOR NGAROMA

SETTLERS’ DIFFICULTIES MR. MACMILLAN’S FAITH (THE SUE'S Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. “Could you farm Ngaroma successfully ?” This question was shot across the House at Mr. C. E. Macmillan, member for Tauranga, by Mr. W. J. Jordan, member for Manakau, while Air. Macmillan was speaking on bush-sick land. The reply of Air. Alacmillan was that he would like to be in charge of an experimental area of 100 acres or 200 acres of the Ngaroma land scientifically treated, and although he did not want to make a profit out of it, he would be quite prepared to stand any loss sustained—so confident was he of the potentialities of the Ngaroma properties if properly treated. The trouble at Ngaroma was that the financial resources of the 40 settlers there had been exhausted, and they were unable to purchase fertilisers and so give their land a chance. Government assistance was necessary, for it would be a crying shame unnecessarily to let these men down. “There are 7,000 acres of good grass land,” he said, “but the sickness has beaten them, and will continue to beat them unless the land is treated scientifically. It is impossible to even assume that the Ngaroma land was not cattle-sick.” Air. W. Parry. Auckland Central: Some members say it is not cattlesick. Air. Alacmillan: It is cattle-sick, and the Government should take action to save these thousands of acres of good land. Air. Parry: Do you think it could be done? Air. Alacmillan: I would like to have charge of an experimental area of 100 acres of 200 acres and see that it was done scientifically. I would be prepared to stand any loss that might be incurred. That is how much faith I have in the Ngaroma settlement. The Government must come to their assistance and establish a fund from which they can borrow to put their land in order. It would be a calamity if it were allowed to go back.