IN THE FAR NORTH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 215, 1 April 1913, Page 8

IN THE FAR NORTH.

A LAND OF POSSIBILITIES,

Auckland, March 30.

"My trip .through the North has been a particularly interesting one," said the Hon. W. Eraser, Minister for Public Works and Acting-Minister for Finance, to a Herald representative on Saturday. Mr. Eraser has been travelling for a fortnight on the Northern Peninsula, and has completed a more extensive tour of this part of the country than has ever been undertaken by a member of any recent Administration. '

"It is indisputable that it will be many years," Mr. Fraser said, "before a considerable area of the land can be profitably occupied, but theve is a large area of excellent land, more, indeed, that I expected to find, judging from ithe reports of the North whieh have been current.

"The roading of the conntry is costly," said the Minister, "owing partly to its configuration, partly to the extent of timber-covered land,' and to the considerable area of Native lands, which do not pay any rates for the construction and maintenance of roads. The difficulties of local bodies are, accentuated by the fact that the roads go for long distances through lands from which no rates whatever arc collected, and the Government recognises these hardships.

"The North, however, is not yet one quarter developed," said Mr. Fraser, "and with-knowledge T have gained during my trip I hope to lie able to make good use of the-money at mv disposal, which can be spared for the furtherance of settlement."