FERTILE NORTHLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 261, 3 November 1928, Page 16

FERTILE NORTHLAND.

BUSINESS MEN DELIGHTED.

TOUR IN HOKIANGA COUNTY.

RAPID FARM DEVELOPMENT. (By Telegraph —Special to "Star.") RUSSELL, Friday. In a drive of more than a hundred 3rr.!t> f.iiru'iijjh the llukianga, county today the busi'm-s men of Auckland who .ire touring on th<s Oinmer'>s Train had their eyes opened to oi the Far North. The majority of them had no idea of the extent of the area which has been brought into use in recent years or of its productivity. Those who were privileged under such pleasant circumstances to view this land ot promise are coining away with a mental picture of a wide expanse of tertile valleys where dairy herds are on the increase, and of undulating hills whereon flocks of sheep graze to profitable advantage. The visitors have seen how the sturdy settlers, many of them from other parts of Xew Zealand, are beginning to reap the fruits of thenlight against oddSj and how in the process they are fashioning a rich possession for the province and for the Dominion. A Glorious Panorama. When the motor cars stopped on the hills about seven miles beyond Broadwood, near the northern boundary of the county, they viewed one of the finest panoramas of their tour. Within the wide range of encircling hills the grassy fields in the fertile river indicated the lands on which dairying is making such rapid progress and the extent to which pastures are extending on the hillsides spoke of the increasing areas which are being made available for pastoral purposes. Tho party was informed that not only are the pakeha settlers making great headway in developing the Northland but the Maoris also are farming their lands more effectively. The natives are tinder the urge of necessity, since they pre no longer able to depend upon guin-digging for a livelihood. Some idea of the rapid progress which is being made was conveyed by Mr. A. Yarborough, chairman of the Hokianga County Council, at the luncheon which was provided by the residents at Broadwood. He said that in the past three years 00 miles of roads had been formed by the Countv Council, in co-operation with the Public Works Department, and the Main Highways Board. He paid a tribute to the fine settlers who were developing the North, and said that there was ample room for more. Land Still Available. Referring to the recent statement of the Minister of Lands that a man could not settle on the land without having over £3000 of capital, Mr. Yarborough said that so far as Hokianga was concerned it was possible to find plenty of land on which to erect buildings and place stock at a cost of £20 an acre, this including the purchase of the land. Mr. A. G. Lunn, in replying to the wonderfully hospitable welcome, expressed surprise at the extent of the development, and said that in spite of what had been clone, and having regard to the possibilities of the North, it was apparent that so far only the surface had been scratched. "I say it to my shame," said Mr. Lunn, "that although I have lived in New Zealand for about twenty years I have not until now seen this wonderfully fertile country. We arc going to do all we can to see that the people from other parts of the Dominion make pilgrimages here in future." (Applause.) On the return to the train, which was waiting at Otiria, the visitors were driven most of the way by a different route, but never did they pass from the view of lands which were either carrying sheep or catttle or which showed possibilities of profitable use. As the tourists came southward the beautifully green cones of the volcanic area reminded them of Home, and set their imaginations working on the possibilities of future years. Especially pleasing were the well-kept farms on the Waimate plains and in the soldiers,' settlement at Pakaraka. Historic Church. During the day there were many reminders of the fact that the visitors were on historic ground, and in places associated with names which are written into the earliest history of New Zealand, but none of these made a stronger appeal to sentiment than the old church near Pakaraka which was erected by the Rev. Mr. Williams, and vyhich in the shade of its beautiful English trees preserves a trim and pictuesque appearance. The business men of Auckland will not soon forget the impressions of this eventful day.