PUMICE LAND VALUES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 784, 3 October 1929, Page 13

PUMICE LAND VALUES

TAUPO RAILWAY INQUIRY LITTLE FARM INVESTMENT Press Association WELLINGTON, Today. Continuing Us sitting yesterday, the M to Z Petitions’ Committee of the House of Representatives heard further evidence regarding the value of the Rotorua-Taupo railway. Mr. A. H. Cockayne, Assistant-Di-rector-Cleneral of Agriculture, said th«s country was moderately well watered fur large holdings, but extremely badly watered for small holdings. lie had inspected an area of several thousand acres, two-thirds of which appeared to be comparatively easily ploughable, but: a great deal of it could not be made use of because it did not seem possible; to divide it into small settlements of 150 acres, which would be well watered. For many years the pumice lands had been more or less boomed as being admirably suited to close settlement, said Mr. Cockayne, but it was a, most significant fact that pioneer efforts had led to very small results except so far as afforestation was concerned. In that respect the KotoruaTaupo country had attracted much, more private capital than it had for farm development. At present there was no real indication that large areas, could be settled on a strictly economic basis, but from a national standpoint it might be well worth while. The committee then adjourned. Dr. Cockayne continued, his evidence ■when the sitting resumed this morning. To Mr. R. Semple, he said that the better parts of the pumice land might be able to be broken in -without any loss to the State at the finish. He agreed that the Government should prospect for water betare deciding to do anything with the land. To Mr. H. R. Jenkins, he agreed that the forest covering over the whole o£ the pumice land would make it very much easier to develop into grass. Witness also said that if the Government were to charge the whole of the expenses of breaking it in, it would be necessary to write off a very considerable amount, and one could not load the final settler with the whole cost. Certain areas should pay quite well, and the final productivity of the land would be worth about £3O an acre. Dr. Cockayne said he did not think the construction of the railway was likely to improve the position very appreciably from the farm settlement standpoint at the present time. In regard to the future a good deal depended on the success or otherwise of the ventures in the air now. They would take some time. • To Mr. E. E. Valle, he said settlelnent could quite well precede the railway as it had done in many parts of New Zealand, hut it could not precede roads. Mr. A. Hanson, chief inspector of forestry, said that some of the blocks of land where native bush was situated would hardly affect the railway. The W&iotapu plantation might receive benefit. The quantities of native timber that would go to the line had been exaggerated. The inquiry was then adjourned. (Proceeding.)