WAITOMO ELECTORATE.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 February 1921, Page 5

WAITOMO ELECTORATE.

INCREASING SETTLEMENT. THE DISTRICT’S NEEDS. TOUR BY MINISTER OF LANDS. A trip through part of the Mokau district was made yesterday by the Hon. D. H. Guthrie (Minister for Ladds and Repatriationwho is making a tour of the Waitomo electorate, and various matters concerning the settlement of the district were brought under his notice.

The Minister and his private secretary (Mr. A. W. Mulligan) left Waitara shortly after 6 a.m., accompanied by the member for the district' (Mr. W. T. Jennings) and the Commissioner of Crown Lands (Mr. G. H. Bullard). The chairman of the Clifton County Council joined, the party at Urenui. , At Tongaporutu a request waa made to the Minister by a returned soldier (Mr. A. G. Faulkiner), who wished to take up a section of land in the Uruti district, but which at present is set aside as a scenic reserve. He asked that the land ba made open for settlement. Mr. Guthrie replied that it was a difficult matter to have the reservation lifted off a forest reserve, but on his return to Wellington he would see what , jjould be done to meet the applicant’s wishes. TRIP UP THE MOKAU. Shortly after nine o’clock Mokau was reached, and the party were met by the secretary of the Harbor Board (Mr. McDonald) They journeyed up the river by launch for about 14 miles. A feature of the locality is the new settlement, about nine returned soldiers having taken up land at various points along the/ river, and apparently have been making steady progress with the clearing of their holdings. The Minister was keenly interested in the doings of the new settlers, and during the a day he expressed surprise at the advance that was being made in the Mokau area. The destination of the party was the residence of Mr. G. Sage, in the Mangaoira settlement, and the run up the river occupied about two and a half holirs. In reply to a welcome extended by Mr. Jennings, the Hon. Guthrie said 'he was pleased to have the opportunity of. meeting the settlers, because, he said, it was necessary that he should get even a bird’s eye view of the country, and what was being done. He was more highly pleaded with what he had seen than he had anticipated when leaving Wellington, and he saw no reason why a country such as they had should not develop and progress successfully. “There might be drawbacks,” said, the speaker, “but those who are acquainted with the backblocks know that there is no settlement which does not have its dark days, and surely a country like this is well worth waiting fo’r.” In remarking on the settlement of the returned men he said that he had the greatest admiration for those who had been so unlucky at the war as to lose a limb, but despite this had taken up land. He felt, with Mr. Jennings, that the start that had been made would be instrumental in establishing further settlers, who, after seeing what had been done, would come and take up land. What the district wanted was no idle lands and some expenditure towards improving the river, which would serve as a /ieans of access for a long time to come, without much expenditure on road-making. He thought it would be much cheaper for the Government to assist them through the river than by means of expenditure on roads. (Applause). Deputations then addressed the Minister regarding their demands. CLOSER SETTLEMENT URGED. In urging that the Manga-Awakino block, comprising some thousands of acres, should be acquired by the Crown for closer settlement, Mr. C. Randall stated that there were at present in the district a number of men—returned soldiers and others—who would be only too willing to take up a backblocks section and develop it from the virgin state if they were given the opportunity, they were able-bodied and the kind of men which the country needed as settlers. It was true men had acquired pieces of land through the assistance of the Government, but the speaker contended that often this did not mean supplementing of the production of the country, and was merely transferring improved land from one owner to another. If the department should acquire the right to cut up the block, Mr. Randall said, the move would not only be beneficial te a number of men in the immediate district, but would also bring in peopl* from the outside. In addition to the factor of increasing settlement an Important item was that the new lahlr contained a considerable amount of mineral resources, and thia was not only in the Mango-Awakino block, as the district was teeming with materials that were required. Coal and lime were to be found in unbounded quantities, and the district had the products but required. Government assistance for development. There were good means of communication for vessels of small draught. Answering this plea, the Minister said he had taken steps already with regard to opening up the block, the matter having been introduced to his notice during the morning. He intended to issue instructions immediately with the idea of sending a surveyor and a Crown lands ranger over the area to submit a report on the land. He hoped this would b? accomplished with the least possible delay, because any practical man could see that the country was of the right class for opening up. If it had been suitable for forestry purposes the matter might have presented some difficulty, but he did not think this land should be shut up for milking purposes. A delegate present said there was very little suitable timber on the block. . With regard to the coal and iron deposits Mr. Guthrie said these matters came under the jurisdiction of other departments, but he would bring the request under their notice on return to Wellington and would inform the settlers of the result. DISTRICT WITH POSSIBILITIES. “I diA not expect to find such an easy means of transport as you have,” said Mr. Guthrie, “"but the question came up regarding improving the river. Snagging is a difficult and expensive task, out not so much as in the case of loading work, and if we come to the conclusion that thia district is capable of being developed you will find we must look after you while you are here.” The Minister rsxnarked on the that

Bome of the settlers jyere dairying on their sections, and evidently the land, was capable of being used tor this clasa of farming. He had never expected to see dairying established eo quickly after the land had been taken up. No man with any practical knowledge would leave a country such as that lying idle. ‘ QUESTION OF RESERVES. Mr. iG. Sage asked that the Minister consider the question of abolishing a number of the scenic reserves set apart on various points of the river as the reservation of these areas was hampering the new settlers in a number of directions, notably in regard to the construction of roads on the river .frontage. He pointed out that much of the land set apart was highly suitable for cultivation. Messrs. A. G. Mowatt and D. McKeown also spoke in support of this application. Mr. Guthrie expressed surprise at the request and remarked that the scenery was so beautiful that it would be a shame to destroy it. There was a Scenic Reservation Board which dealt with all such matters, however, and ke would place the application before tha board. He did not think it would be granted. TRANSPORTING PRODUCE. On behalf of settlers Mr. G. S Randall put in a plea for assistance from the department towards helping suppliers to purchase a motor launch, to be managed co-operatively, for carrying the cream down the river. The speaker said that there was a servioe at present but it was too expensive, and he estimated that last month they had paid out about one-third of their cream cheque in freight. The Minister said he had no doubt the repatriation department would approve of a loan for the purchase of a launch, and he recommended, the settlers to put in a formal application, which he promised would be dealt with as soon as possible. The cost of a launch was estimated at between £5OO and £lOOO. At the ,conclusion of proceedings Mr. Jennings thanked the Minister for making the trip, and in replying, Mr. Guthrie expressed to the settlers his best wishes for the success their enterprise deserved. The man who went into the backblocks waa deserving of the best, and whatever they made was certainly theirs. \ Before departing on the return trip to Mokau, on the proposal of Mr. Guthrie, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr. and Mrs. Sage and family for their hospitality. Mokau was reached at 5.30, and the Ministerial party proceeded on to Awakino. To-day the Hon. Mr. Guthrie completes his trip through the electorate, and joins the mail train at Te Kuiti to-night en route for Wellington.