FRESH LAND WANTED.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 89, 16 April 1927, Page 10

FRESH LAND WANTED.

KAIHERE SETTLERS' REQUEST

NO GLEAM OF HOPE.

MINISTER DENIES PRIOR RIGHT.

Having covered a total distance of 2SO miles, for the most part of dusty clay roads, the Minister of Lands (Hon. A. D. McLeod) and the Minister of Public Works (Hon. K. S. Williams) completed on Thursday night a comprehensive tour of Hauraki Plains. The trip began early on Monday morning, and the Ministerial party was on the move almost continually throughout the four days, with deputations and entertainments to occupy their attention in the evenings. In a speech at the conclusion of the tour the Minister of Lands said he was always ready to work from breakfast till midnight on such a tour, and although his friends in Wellington would ask him on his return how he had "enjoyed" his "holiday on the plains," it went without saying that such a tour could not be enjoyable when a Minister had to hear all the woes and troubles of the settlers.

Scores of deputations were received on the trip, and so many requests were made for financial assistance that, were they all to be granted, there woidd be no money in the Treasury for the remainder of the Dominion. The Minister of Lands returned to Wellington from Frankton, and the Minister of Public Works motored to Auckland, arriving here in the early hours of Good Friday. Hopeless Land at Kaihere. Thursday morning was devoted to an inspection of soldier settlers' properties at Kaihere. These holdings are all soggy peat land, the clay level being many feet below the surface, and it has been found impossible to carry on dairy farming with any hope of success. The Minister of Lands told the settlers, during the course of an open-air deputation, that he admitted there was no immediate future nor any permanent future for the block from a dairying point of view. Two years ago he had no doubts about the position, and had said so quite frankly. At that time he had made a promise that the Lands Department would do nil that could be done for the settlers. Since that time no rent had been asked. Land at Kerepeehi Wanted. The settlers asked that they be allowed to make a fresh start at Kerepeehi, on a block of land which is not vet properly drained. It is the opinion ol the departmental engineers that the property win bc subject to fl om i inp f or at least 18 months, but the settlers are UUluig to risk it. "If I givc y OU the to n land, I open np the

McLeod, "and I cannot admit that you, as assisted settlers, should be placed before those other soldier settlers in other parts of New Zealand who went on the land with their own resources, and who have now lost everything. In any case, that land at Kerepeehi is not fit for settlement yet. and I am not going to open it up till my engineers say it is ready. Had political influence not prevailed against the advice of departmental officers in the past, there would not to-day be so much heartburning, and I am not going to make that mistake a second time. If it is ready in three months' time it will be opened, but not till it is ready. I think I have greater difficulties to face in North Auckland and outh Auckland than in the whole of the Dominion put together." Stock Will Die in Winter. The Minister said it was the opinion of his officers that the stock would die during the coming winter. It was up to somebody to find grazing, if it was to be found. The only suggestion he could make was that the settlers look over the list of abandoned farm, and see what arrangements they could come to with the Government in settling them elsewhere. Wherever the law could be stretched to make it easier it would be stretched. "But I want you to clearly understand that if I give you preference I'd be doing an injustice to other men who are in the same plight. Mr. T. W. Rhodes, M.P. (Thames) asked the Minister if he would place the men on fresh land providing they made a promise not to make any more requests for assistance and to stand or fall by that promise. "I would be only too willing," replied the Minister, "but how can any man make such a promise when lie has nothing? He is not in a position to make such a guarantee. However, I can sec possibilities in a system of balloting among men who have had experiences similar to yourselves. It might be done —I cannot say for certain—with the insertion of something in the nature of a hardship clause. But the men who went on land with only their own money would have be to included. I am not going to open up the question of priority."