Mr. Ransom Favours Pumice Settlement

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 597, 25 February 1929, Page 9

Mr. Ransom Favours Pumice Settlement

ROTORUA-TAUPO LINE GOVERNMENT'S NEW LAND POLICY / Prom Our Oicn Correspondent) ROTORUA. To-da>. Satisfied that much can be done in the development of pumice lands. the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, expressed his personal belief in the need for the Rotorua-Taupo railway. The sum of £1,000.000, he said, was available for land purchase, but a further sum for development work was needed. Mr. Ransom, who is accomx>anied by Mr. F. W. Furkert, Engineer in Chief of the Public Works Department, and his private secretary, also Mr. C. TL Clinkard, M.P., member for Rotorua, received several deputations in the Borough. Council Chamber.

The first deputation consisted of members of the County Council, headed by the chairman. Mr. H. P. Ford, who placed their difficulties before the Minister in regard to the maintenance of tourist roads, also the native lands question. This was followed by a large deputation of representatives of various local bodies, as combined in the Roto-rua-Taupo Progressive League. The Mayor, Mr. J. N. McLeaji, who was introduced by Mr. C. LL Clinkard, M.P., extended to the visitors a hearty welcome to the town, and expressed, his pleasure that the Minister was taking such a keen interest in the Roto-rua-Taupo railway, and also the settlement of the pumice lands. He said that rumours were abroad that it was intended to stop work on this line. Referring to the 1922 commission’s report. he drew the Minister’s attention to the favourable nature of the report* PROFITABLE RETURNS

Mr. H. M. Martin, as a farmer of many years in the district, stated that in his opinion most of the land which the Minister had travelled over thac day was similar to his own farm, and he was quite sure that the same results could be obtained as he had got. The land in question did not require any more manures than other landn which were now yielding profitable returns.

Mr. Parsons, of the Guthrie Settlis—ment, spoke of the need of a topo* graphical survey and soil analysis being made before any more land was allowed to go into afforestation. Much arable land had been planted in trees which would have made good dairying and sheep country. Mr. H. P. Ford spoke on the suitability of the lands from his own experience as a farmer, and stated th£.t the great need of the settler was cheap transit of manures and other necessities.

Mr. H. A. Goudie, late Conservator of Forests for Rotorua, urged the need of the railway being completed because of the existence of the largo State forests which the line would serve. Quoting figures in support, he said that if thinning did not take place at any early date it would result in great waste and prevent the trees developing as they should.

Mr. Kean, president of the Chamber of Commerce, also supported the pro# vious speakers, and also drew the Minister’s attention to the condition the baths.

RAILWAY NOT PARTY AFFAIR Mr. Ransom, in a long reply, thanked the deputation for its good w'ishes and. for the valuable information. He said that he could not be expected to make any statement regarding the railway until ho returned to Wellington and the other Ministers, who are making a. tour, also present their report. Then the whole matter would be dealt with by Cabinet.

Personally, he had always been a. supporter of the settlement of tho pumice lands, and his present visit only confirmed his previous opinion. He had recently visited some of the best land in New Zealand, and he was quite sure that most of the country around Rotorua and Taupo only needed to be dealt with in the right way to become a great asset to the Dominion. He said that the construction of the railway was not a party affair, and lie was sure that his colleagues thought the same. Mr. Ransom continued that he wa.i of the opinion that the pumice land offered tho opportunity of settlement on the land at less cost to the country than other land he knew.

The Government was opened to bu?/ reasonably-priced lands suited for closer cultivation and more intensive farming in blocks of from 50 to 75 acres, continued Mr. Ransom. It also proposed to open Crown lands in tho less developed counties and subdivide them into 150 or 200-acre lots. There had been a lot of talk about bursting up big estates by a graduated land tax, but that had never appealed to him. as in many cases it had been found those estates could not profitably be farmed in less than 2,000-acro lots.

“I do not want to trespass on tho department of the Minister of Lands, but J do not think it would be a breach of privilege to tell you of a scheme ho has in hand,” continued the Minister, in explaining that about £1,000,000 was available for land purchase, but there was no fund for providing money for land development. Mr. Forbes intended to ask Parliament for a land development fund from which prospective farmers would be assisted to break in the land until It was readf for selling and for providing a certain amount of finance until the men had the farm paying its way. The land development scheme would be removed from the control of the ordinary land boards, and a special board for the whole Dominion would have the oversight of that particular work. Mr. Ransom said he did not think any material change would be made by the Government to the land laws and system of tenure.

The Mayor thanked the Minister for his sincere and lucid reply to th**ir representations.