HARDSHIPS OF SETTLERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20249, 8 May 1929, Page 13

HARDSHIPS OF SETTLERS.

KING COUNTRY PKOBLEMS.

DETERIORATED PASTURES.

, burden of idle lands.

A SYMPATHETIC MINISTER.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.] TE KUITI, Tuesday. An all-day round of deputations in lialls and on the roadside in the district between Te Kuiti and the west coast kept the Hon. G. W. Forbes, Minister of Lands and Agriculture, very busily engaged to-day. His task led him ou several occasions to express a lively sense of appreciation .of the difficulties being experienced by J e ttlers endeavouring to farm remotelysitu; ited areas, off which the bloom of fertility has been worn. A typical illustration of the problems of this tract of broken country, into which settlers first ventured about 1904, was,given at Waitangaru, where the Minister met a deputation.

The Minister was accompanied by Mr. W. i. Broadfoot, M.P. for Waitomo, Dr. C. J. Keakes, Director-General of Agriculture, Mr. K. M. Graham, Crown lands commissioner for South Auckland, and other officials of the two departments under his control. In introducing the deputation at Waitanguru, Mr. Broadfoot said the settlers had had more than their share of unfair hardship. Need lor Cheap Lime. Explaining the difficulties of the settlers. Mr. J. Francis said the deterioration of pastures and sheep sickness had put most of them in the position of not being able to meet their obligations. A number of settlers had left their holdings and about 3500 acres were being farmed by mortgagees.

Mr. Francis gave particulars of several holdings totalling 6870 acres, most of which had been considerably improved. However, through being unoccupied the lands had rapidly deteriorated and ragwort had taken possession, practically destroying the value of the improvements. This made conditions difficult for the remaining settlers, not only owing to the spread of noxious weeds, but also because of the fact that the abandoned holdings were ratable. The land was in what was known as the limo deficient area, and in that connection the Minister was asked if it would be possible to arrange for cheap supplies of carbonate of lime.

It was said the limestone could be crushed in the district, and that a contract for crushing 6000 tons could be let at 13s 6d a ton. At present supplies, with freight from Te Kuiti added, cost about £2 a ton, which was a burden which grew heavier in the outer areas. Mr. Francis said good results had been secured in the early stages of farming in the district and stock troubles did not set in until deterioration of the land began. The quantity of lime in the wood ash after the early burning had made the country good,, but that fertility had gone. However, with lime and superphosphate that fertility could be restored.

Investigation Promised. *'l can see you have difficulties which are greater than those encountered in most parts of New Zealand." said the Minister, in the course of a sympathetic response. He had been told the deficiency in lime was responsible for the district's troubles, and no doubt the question of a cheap lime supply was a vital one.

Mr. Forbes said it'would be an economic loss to allow settlement to disappear. He recognised the seriousness of the position and the need for something being done and he would go very carefully into the question.. The Department of Agriculture, by its experiments in the district, had gleaned reliable information which should allow a definite scheme to be undertaken. He would confer with Dr. Reakes and Mr. Graham in an endeavour to devise a scheme to retain this country for settlement. A strong case had been presented and the Minister said he would investigate the circumstances without delay to see what could be done to assist settlers in what was a very difficult situation.

The M ioistvr later met deputations at Kiritihere and at Te Anga. At the latter centre there was a gathering of about 60 settlers, representative of the Te Anga. Marokopa and Kinohaku districts. The requests dealt mainly with local requirements, particularly better road and telephonic communication. The spread of noxious weeds from native land was also brought to the Minister's notice, the situation" being described as distinctly menacing. The hardship imposed on settlers' in special rating areas through no rates being paid on abandoned or native lands was also pointed out, with a suggestion that the Government. should see whether a method of overcoming the difficulty could not be devised. , Spirit of Pioneers Essential.

Mr. Forbes was also asked to refer several other matters, including the establishment of a school dental clinic in the district, to the Ministers concerned.

The Minister promised an investigation of the various representations concerning his own departments and to bring the other matters under the notice of the Ministers concerned. He agreed the problem of special rating areas needed prompt investigation. Speaking generally of settlement, Mr. Forbes said anyone 'taking up bush land had to enter with the spirit of the pioneers. If a man had the belief the job was easy and involved no hard work there was small chance of success.

The meeting had a novel ending owing ♦o the approaching darkness and the Minister was handed a candle, mounted in a whisky bottle, with which to illuminate his notes.

In closing, the • Minister said there seemed a good prospect for success being achieved in the farming of the district and ho congratulated the settlers on their lack of pessimism in their representations. He hoped to initiate legislation whereby money would be lent to settlers at the very lowest rate. The main thing was to provide finance, with repayment spread over a long term.