PUMICE LAND.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3324, 31 October 1919, Page 4

PUMICE LAND.

ITNEARNED INCREMENT FOR SOLDIERS? T '

'l‘he Hon. G. \V. Russell (Avon) called at.tention_ in the Honseef Re-pl'es~enr-‘-I.t'ives to a statement by Ml‘ Skezn. ','Olllll‘liSSi‘OnC]' for Lands, Aucklzrnd. to the effect that the Government were about to make large developments in. the pumice country in the Auckland province, in order to prepare tlle land for soldier settlement. He understood that the Government can ternplated spending up to £6 per acre. If $9. the soldiers taking up the land would easily lmvo, an unearned increment of £6 in sight . Had the I\lillister for Lands, he asked, seen a. statement in the New Zealand Herald. that a dairy farmer of Rotorua was carrying ]OO cows on 200 acres of pumice land‘? It‘ Such instances were published wide-spn-eacl it would tend fl) encourage settlement in those parts where the soldiers would have a chance of obtaining some of the unearned increment ere.a.ted by settlement. A ' The Hon. D. H. Guthrie said that he had not seen the report referred 130There was a scheme in hand for the development of the "pumice country. and he thought that in a. very short tin!-P it‘ would prove most .«o:.-ueess1‘11l, and Si“? 3 splendid chance, to soldiers who to'ok up _m_l(;h 111.1161. TllO St“_lh"Il1(‘ |H'o"i‘:.l-ed ‘money for dew-el~opm—ent purpoS<‘s- H 3 11:10. um’ seen the sta:':enn"-.nt fhiit the Government was prepare.d to .~:p(‘l2d :56 an acre in that way; nor did he think it would cost £6 per acre. The land could

be developed» at CollSidCsl2:i~h]y 105$ thilll tl.~zlt. it was the intention of the DO- - to develop these lands under‘ supox-vision for occupation by soldiers, who would be employed in developing‘ the district and. would also be instructed in the best methods of farming pumice lands. When the Land Bin came down "the hon. member would find that financial provision was being lnndo. Ml‘ Russell suggested .that cxperimenw fal stations shoulcl b“ o.s’:rlblished in the district to show what the pumice lands could do. Mr Guthrie: That will-be done.