FORCED FROM FARMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 621, 25 March 1929, Page 10

FORCED FROM FARMS

HAURAKI COMPLAINT MENACE OF FESCUE (From Our Oun Correspondent J THAMES. Saturday. The troubles and hardship of settlers on the Hauraki Plains were put before the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, who last week paid a Ministerial visit to the Plains. The fescue menace, want of br'dges, stop-banks and assistance for roads were the chief complaints of the settlers. At Orongo, the Minister was informed that out of 23 original settlers in the block, only seven remained. The 16 had been forced off their farms by the tall fescue. Mr. A. G. Corbett, one of the remaining Orongo settlers, told Mr. Ransom that he ploughed his land three times before sowing grass, and even then the fescue beat him. Another settler, Mr. Wilkins, said it took him three weeks to plough one acre of fescue. The soldier farmers could not afford to cope with the pest. It had been six years of struggle and defeat in the end. The deputation appeuled to the Minister for help to get other farms. Mr. Ransom said it was quite evident the men could not carry on; they had been starved off their farms. He would place the position before the Minister of I«rnds.