WASTE FARM LANDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 170, 8 October 1927, Page 29 (Supplement)

WASTE FARM LANDS

ROTORUA PROTEST FURTHER SETTLEMENT URGED That the further settlement of native and Crown lands in the Rotorua district should be immediately proceeded with was the opinion expressed by Mr. T. P. Dowling, president of the Rotorua A. and P. Association, when interviewed recently by a special representative of THE SUN. There were large areas now held by the Crown and natives which were eminently suited fo.r settlement, stated Mr. Dowling. Various Governments in the past had been seriously to blame for hampering settlement and the present Government was also deserving of censure for its failure in this respect. It was only after years of pleading on the part of the Chamber of Commerce, Rotorua, County Council and the A. and P. Association that the Government was prevailed upon to hold a commission of inquiry on the question of settling one of the districts close to the town. The commission favourably reported on the value of such settlement and recommended the Government to do so. Yet a number of years elapsed, and frequent applications had to be majle, before the Government reluctantly threw up a section of the Atiamuri lands for settlement on the homestead system. With the type of men that have taken up that land, said Mr. Dowling, there was no doubt that within a few years what was now barren country would be smiling pastures stocked with sleek herds and flocks.

At the present time; there was an area of at least 200,000 acres unsettled which was suitable for dairying. At a low estimate of one cow to five acres—and it had been clearly shown that one cow could be carried on 2h acres—this land could be made to yield a good return. At present this land was lying in an unproductive state—a loss to the country as a whole and a menace to the surrounding settlers through the spread of noxious weeds, which the Government and native owners take < no steps to check. On the basis of one cow to five acres that land could be carrying at least 40,000 cows. At a low estimate of 2001 b of butter-fat per cow at a return of 1s 3d per lb, it would be seen that an annual return of £500,000 could be obtained from the land. Fat lambs were ai raised in addition to dairying. was further reason why the country should be settled. Rather than let the land remain in an unproductive state he considered it would be better for the Government to give the land away to suitable farmers and help them to carry out improvements. Public opinion was also being adversely expressed, said Mr. Dowling, against the utilisation of so much land

that would be suitable for dairying for afforestation purposes. In this connection he pointed out that although trees had been estimated at a certain value farming has been proved to be of greater value. This point, he considered, could not be too strongly stressed and he considered that the question should be given serious consideration before further potential farming land was taken for afforestation., purposes.