OPENING NEW COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 178, 26 January 1912, Page 5

OPENING NEW COUNTRY.

PRGGREJS& IN TH£ NORTEL , |*l By Telegraph— i Prec» Association. Auckland, January 25. - _ vjp Mr. W. O .Kensington, Under-Secretary-for Lands, is at present on a brief visit I js| to Auckland, after a- rapid trip through ~«gJ} the Bay-of Plenty, made fer the purpose of inspecting the * various, rivjer tajl Jfej swamp-improvement works in program j;J3 there. - 'S In .reply to a question by a reporter, SsHd Mr. Kensington said that the> opening up of land in the north was progressing as fe'S rapidly as possible, but, as a matter of g*. fact, the available Crown land in that part of the Dominion was practically ex- /|| hausted, and purchases from the native: owners would soon be necessary. If should be remembered tlubt some 2,000,000 < J acres in the north were reserved under 4 the Kauri Gum Industries Ac,t, and that previous attempts to resume portions of ' 'J them had been greatly resented by those ' i interested in the gum trade. Much of y this land, though not rich, was well . nl adapted to fruit-growing, and, in some J cases for slieep-raising, and. as the gum became gradually worked out, it would be resumed for the benefit of the settier. . .3 At present the whole staff of t)ie -..jij Auckland Lands Office was working at \ full pressure in consequence of the open- '.3 ing up of lands in various parts of the province, especially in the King Country. "5 It was intended to open up a block of $ 23,000 acres of fairly good land in West ' " Taupo in the course of a month or two, and an active policy was being pursued , ij in other directions. , ?«