NEW LAND TO BE BROKEN IN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 634, 10 April 1929, Page 1

NEW LAND TO BE BROKEN IN

Governments Land Policy

BLOCK AT TAUPO WILL BE TACKLED

Press Association

WELLINGTON, To-day. AS a result of my tour of inspection. I am satisfied there are in the Dominion hundreds of thousands of acres of unimproved land, mostly in bush and fern, which can be profitably occupied now that the value of top-dressing for that class of land is understood. It is land requiring fairly close settlement, so that blocks will be of such size as to allow of intensive farming over the whole area, and I am hoping, as a result of investigations now being made, that blocks suitable for group settlement will be found.”

STATEMENT on the Government’s land policy was made today by the Minister of Lands, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, who said that he was very pleased that settlers were "getting on their feet" and were feeling confident about the future. There were, however, a few who would require further assistance and when that had been afforded, the difficulties of the past would be about ended. In respect to the programme for the future, Mr. Forbes said he had asked the commissioners of Crown Lands to select the areas of undeveloped Crown lands suitable for subdivision in their districts, and to get the necessary surveys made so that settlement could be proceeded with when Parliament approved of the necessary finance being provided. “As a result of my visit to the Taupo-Rotorua district,” said Mr. Forbes, “topographical and physical surveys of a block of 20,000 acres are being undertaken by officers of my department, two parties being detailed for the work. When that is completed the area will be in readiness for tackling for settlement when the necessary funds are available. Blocks in other parts of the Dominion will be taken in hand on similar lines.” In regard to a 20,000 acre block in the Taupo district, the Minister intends, after the surveys are completed and the scheme of subdivision decided upon, to hand it over to the Department of Agriculture to break in and to lay down in grass a sufficient area to enable each section to include a portion. This will enable the settler to obtain some return from his land from the beginning. The land concerned is at present in fern and scrub and is all easily ploughable. In regard to the purchase of pri-vately-owned properties for closer

settlement, the Minister said it. was not as satisfactory as he could wish. Since December last 214 properties had been placed under offer in areas ranging from 150 to 20,000 acres. A large number of these, from their description, were deemed to be unsuitable from the outset. A numberappeared to be desirable holdings and the Dominion Land Purchase Board was obtaining reports on. and valuations of, them, but Mr. Forbes was not hopeful of much business being done as the prices asked for all properties which had been examined were in almost every case considerably above the producing value of the land and the Government valuation, in some cases the price asked being double the existing roll valuation. It looked as if it would not be possible to avoid bringing into operation the compulsory clauses of the Act. The Government did not wish to be placed in that position but. with the knowledge that the present unsatisfactory condition of the Dominion in regard to unemployment could be improved primarily by closer settlement and better utilisation of the land, the necessity of doing something to bring that about should be as apparent to landowners of the Dominion as to the Government. “I am hoping,” said Mr. Forbes, “that, there will be a change in attitude in this respect and it will not be necessary to apply compulsion, but I am empowered to say that the Government recognises its responsibilities and will not shrink from the exercise of the powers provided by Parliament to bring about a closer settlement of lands of the Dominion.” The Minister has decided to set up immediately local land purchase boards which will co-operate and to work in the acquisition of lands by negotiation or compulsion.