FINEST N.Z. FOREST.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 287, 1 December 1923, Page 7

FINEST N.Z. FOREST.

IN UREWERA COUNTRY. SMALL AREA FOR SETTLERS. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WHAKATANE, this day. The Hon J. G. Coates and party reached Whakatane last night via Urcwera Country. Several deputations were received on arrival here. Mr. W. Reid (county chairman) urged speedy construction of the Whakatane j River traffic bridge at Taneatua. j; Mr. W. Keegan, president of the ! Whakatane Chamber of Commerce,; urged continuation of the Waimana- j Waikaremoana road at its full width. I Mr. Cliff McCiilloch (chairman of . directors of the freezing company) urged the need of work on the Galatea Road, and Mr. Sullivan (deputy-chairman of the Harbour Board) urged a branch' railway. j, The Minister promised full considers- : . tion of all the matters. ! ( "The members of the party were enter- , tamed at the Whakatane Club in the : , evening. Tn proposing the health of the [ Minister, Mr. Chalmers (the Mayor) . thanked Mr. Coates for his visit, and : said good results were expected, speci- j j ally in Urewera. I. In reply the Minister stated that ■ j parts of Urewera were good land, and suitable for settlement, but quite a lot would be better left as forest. It would make the finest tourist attraction in New Zealand. The Minister said fur- i tber that settlement must come !, from subdivision of land already oecu-1 1 pied, and stressed the suitability of Bay j of Plenty lands for such purpose j, Mr. K. S. Williams. M.P.. warned the | ( Department against denuding the Ure- ! wera of forest on account of the danger : of letting water away too quickly, and , j flooding the valuable flats already set-L tied, which he considered as fertile as anything in New Zealand. Mr. Hockly, M.P., stressed the neces- j sitv of land subdivision, stating that for soil and climate there was nothing equal i to the Bay of Plenty. I■, Mr. McVilly, Mr. Dyson and Mr. I Furkert were with the party, which I left for Tauranga this morning. I