CROWN LANDS BOARD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 105, 2 May 1908, Page 7

CROWN LANDS BOARD.

j THE PROGRESS OF S__________ENT. ■ co____3sio___R- valedictory ' REMARKS. Mr. James Mackenzie, Commissioner of Crown Lands at Auckland, who, after four years' service in that capacity here, i has been transferred to occupy a similar . position at Wellinj'jton, made a few ; interesting remarks at the meeting of , the Board yesterday when taking for- : mal leave of the members. Mr.' J. Renshaw, as the senior mem- ; ber of the Board, expressed regtet that Mr. Mackenzie was severing his connection with the Auckland branch of the service, and testified to the ability and courtesy with which the Commissioner had carried out his duties. Several of the members followed" on similar lines, all eulogising Mr. Mackenzie's abilities. Mr. Mackenzie, in reply, said he fully • reciprocated to the kindly feelings shown towards him by the members of the Board, lie also expressed his thanks to Mr- B_ Leckie (secretary) and the staff generally, both indoor and outside, ' for the faithful manner in which thsyhad carried out their respective duties during his term of office in thife city. He was. however, returning to his old home, where he had formerly resided for 30 years. He assured the Board that his successor in Auckland, Mr. John Stauchon, was an able practical man, in whose hands the interests of Auckland would be thoroughly safe. Mr. Mackenzie als-i referred to the great difficulties of settlers in the back blocks when carving out homes for themselves, and to the great progress of Auckland during the four years he had been here. Lhe Ma+amata, S'-lw_-i), Wairoana, portions of Bickerstaffe, the estates near -Putaruru, and others of lesser area, had been disposed of during his four years in Auckland. Year by year land that had formerly been regarded as barren, and not worth taking up, was now,- with proper cultivation and the application of a little manure, being turned to profitable account. People from all part 3of the Dominion, and even from Australia, were inquiring as to land suitable for taking ,up, and the Auckland province was likely to prove a great field for settlement during the next eight or nine years. He considered that with the' assistance of the equable climate of Auckland; some- of the poorest land iip here could be made equal to some of the best land in the South. In conclusion, he said that whilst other district, had nearly approached their zenith, that of Auckland was still a long way off.