NORTHERN WASTE LANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 283, 30 November 1925, Page 9

NORTHERN WASTE LANDS.

SCHEME OF SETTLEMENT. OUTLINED BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") WHANGAREI, this day. At the annual dinner of the Whangarei Chamber of Commerce, the Minister of Lands made a speech of over an hour's duration, during which he touched on many interesting subjects, particularly as they affect North Auckland. Discussing the possibility of bringing into cultivation large areas of waste land, the Minister said his idea was to put groups of settlers on pirn lands, and ho was considering similar proposals regarding pumice country. At the present time the Lands Department was carrying out tests on gum lands, but the results and costs of making them available for settlement would not be known for some time. He was firmly of opinion that there should not be less than 10,000-aere blocks, cut up into fairly large holdings. (Applause.) There was need for a better understanding between the primary and the commercial interests of "this country. Chambers of commerce would never serve their right purpose unless they brought farmers and commercial interests together. One great trouble to-day was the increased cost of production. Land to-day was not producing sufficient to pay big productive costs. He stated emphatically, only giving obvious facts, that costings must come down, and he had made one or two attempts to have produce controlled in order to make profits. He would not say, however, whether it had been wise or otherwise. The Lands Department was the largest Department in the Government, with assets valued at £32,000,000. The Railway Department came next, with £48,000,000, and the Post and Telegraph after that.

Touching drainage matters, the Minister said that brainy men had tackled those schemes on behalf of syndicates, and failed. Mr. Campbell, the chief drainage engineer, and his officers were some of the most capable men found in any Government Department, and he, as Minister in charge, had every confidence in them. The same remarks applied to Mr.. Lowe, Commissioner of Crown Lands for North Auckland.

"If the successful settlement of land in Xew Zealand can be carried out by mc," said the Minister, "then it shall be done. All my time is given to it. I shall travel round, and I want to see for myself what my officers are doinp on the spot. It is only by getting t)i« confidence of my" officers and them having confidence in mc that pood n--sulte can be shown to the country as a whole."