SPYING OUT THE LAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 657, 8 May 1929, Page 16

SPYING OUT THE LAND

MINISTERIAL TOUR OF KING COUNTRY FARMERS’ TALES OF WOES (From Our Oxen Correspondent) TE KUITI, To-day. The Minister of Lands, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, is paying- another visit to the Te Kuiti district, and at the various places has been receiving deputations upon subjects of interest to the farming community. The Minister, who is accompanied by Mr. K. S. Graham, Commissioner of Crown Lands for South Auckland districts, Mr. "W. L>. Armit, Commissioner of Crown Lands for Taranaki, Mr. A. W. Milligan, secretary, is being conducted on the tour by Mr. W. J. Broadfoot, M.P. for Waitomo. The party was met at Mokau on Monday and traversed 130 miles in the district. The Minister proceeded to Awakino, where a deputation representing the Awakino-Mokau Medical Association asked for assistance from the Waikato Hospital Board in order that the services of a nurse be retained. Difficulty had been experienced in obtaining a subsidy from the board for necessities, and the association was now practically keeping things going without any assistance. A transfer to the Taranaki Hospital district was also asked for. The Minister said he would bring their request before the notice of the Minister of Health. At Mahoenui a deputation requested that the Totoro block of native land be made available for settlement. The minister agreed that steps should be taken to have all idle lands settled. He would obtain a preliminary report on the Totoro block, and confer with Sir Apirana Ngata regarding this and other native blocks in a similar position. Mr. C. K. Wilson introduced several deputations at Pio Pio. POSITION MADE CLEAR The Minister said that as a result of his tour he had had the position regarding native lands made clear to him. Land in that condition was not in the best interests of the country. Regarding the natives, the Government did not desire to treat them unjustly, but at present the best was not being made of their lands. The Minister was glad to know that the Native Lease Commission had now commenced operations, and he would look forward to receiving its recommendations. If these contained anything that would help to bring about closer settlement he, as Minister of Lands, would give them his strongest support. LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS Mr. Caley-Alexander (Pio Pio) submitted the following regarding local body elections: “At the present time ratepayers who owe whole or part of county rates are not eligible to vote or be a candidate for a power board. The Waitom-o County Council has nothing to do with the Wairere Power Board, as no rate had been struck by the board, to be collected by the county. I suggest thei until a power board strikes a rate collectable by the county, that all persons on the county list of ratepayers for the election district and all consumers of electricity be eligible as candidates or voters at power board elections.” Regarding hospital board elections, Mr. Caley-Alexander pointed out that whereas in the country districts only ratepayers were allowed to vote, in the town every resident over 21 years of age was eligible. He suggested that a residential qualification should be sufficient for people in the backblocks, to whom a hospital is of much greater importance. The Minister said he would look into the question. At Aria, Mr. E. Tolme welcomed the Minister on behalf of the Aria Settlers’ Association. Among numerous

requests put forward was one that the Government should take over all the main highways, as all the funds were required for the secondary roads in the backblocks. The Minister replied that the matter was one that would be considered by a special committee which had been set up to go into the whole question of transport. Yesterday Mr. Forbes made a tour of the Mairoa, Waitanguru, Marakopa and Te Anga districts, where similar deputations waited upoq him. In the the Minister was entertained * n Te Kuiti at a complimentary banquet by the Waitomo County Council, Te Kuiti Borough Council, Waitomo Electric-Power Board, Te Kuiti Chamber of Commerce, and Mangapu Drainage Board. There was a representative gathering present, and a number of toasts were honoured.