TREES OR PASTURES?

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 123, 27 May 1929, Page 9

TREES OR PASTURES?

FUTURE OF MARAMARUA AREA DEPUTATION TO MINISTER. SETTLERS NOT AGREED. Three distinct impressions which the Minister of Railways (the Hon. W. B. Taverncr) will carry away from the visit which he paid last week to the Marainarua district will relate to the hospitality of the assembled residents in providing luncheon in the local hall; a drive which the party subsequently had through the. undulating country, which comprises the afforestation area; and the hearing of a deputation which expressed divergent views concerning the future use of tliat area.

Maramarua is 57 miles from Auckland, just inside the northern boundary of the Waikato county and 10 miles beyond Pokeno in the direction of Paeroa. It is also adjacent to the Hauraki Plains The area mapped out for afforestation purposes consists' of 14,430 acres. Last winter a five years' programme of planting was commenced on an area of about 3700 acres, and it is proposed to plant a further area of about 2500 acres this winter, commencing next month. Included in the party yesterday were Messrs. E; Philips Turner, director of forestry, and R. D. Campbell, conservator for Auckland. Messrs. A. W. Hall and J. N. Massey, M.P.'s for Hauraki and Franklin respectively, also accompanied the Minister. The claim that land was being used for tree planting which was suitable for farming was advanced on behalf of the deputation by Mr. F. Steed. "We maintain," he said, "that seeing we have such a good district, and in view of the fact that we are so close to Auckland, it is not in our interests that tlve Government should be taking up such a large area for afforestation purposes." No Rates for Roading. Mr. Steed said that one important aspect was the difficulty caused in connection with rates. Crown land and land planted in trees did not contribute revenue for road-niaking, and the Minister would realise why the riding was behind in its rates. The Minister of Lands had made a suggestion which the speaker considered a good one, namely, that the Lands, Agricultural and Forestry Departments should each appoint a representative to confer with a view to determining what lands in the block were suitable for farming. If such a conference were held residents asked that they be allowed to co-operate. A suggestion that operations on the block should be suspended for three months was made by Mr. Steed in order that the block should be thrown open to applicants. He said that but for unavoidable circumstances this view would have been supported by residents of Hauraki Plains, who had been unable to await the arrival of the Minister. If the land which was suitable for farming was not taken up within three months, those who were advancing that opinion would be prepared to let the matter drop. "Some day we are going to have the Pokeno Paeroa railway through here,'" said Mr. Steed, "and when you realise what the effect will be of having fertilisers brought in more cheaply I hope you will agree that at least the biggest portion of the afforestation area should lie thrown open to settlement..

Another Point of View. "I would not care to be a party to advising the Government wrongly," said the next speaker (Mr. G. F. Mclnnes), in expressing his 1 , opinion concerning "this very rough, broken clay land." Mr. Mclnnes said that generally speaking the block was of very poor quality, and there were only a very few sections which were worthy of consideration from a farming point of view. "For many years," he added, "that block has been an eyesore to us, and we were pleased to see sonic movement in the direction of afforestation. I do. not think we should ask the Department to hold up work on the block or to do any more than to set aside the one or two sections that are suitable for farming." Tlio speaker added that so far as the Hauraki Plains farmers were concerned he did not know of one farmer with a good herd who Avould care to winter his cows in the area, especially when good level grasslands were available at cheaper rates elsewhere. Mr. Steed said he was glad Mr. Mclnnes had made it clear that lie was expressing only his personal, views. "I do not wish to offend either party," said Mr. I\. Mackenzie, when urged to state his views, "but if .you want my straight-out opinion, I hold the same views as Mr. Mclnnes." Mr. Mackenzie stated the belief that the Department had met all reasonable requests. As to fertilisers, he did not think they would hold on the higher slopes of the hilly country. Planting Must Proceed. The Minister assured the deputation that the fact that the Hauraki Plains representatives not having been able to attend would not affect the weight of the representations put forward in their behalf. He must point out, however, that a considerable expenditure had already been incurred, and they must realise that such a scheme in order to be payable must not allow the area to get below a ccrtain minimum. The safe minimum was about 10,000 acres, and there was not much more than that at Maramarua.

Mr. Taverner said that, as a result of the increasing use of fertilisers, he had been confronted with similar problems in other parts of the Dominion, and in future steps would be taken for the demarcation of lands which were suitable on the one hand for farming and on the other for forestry. He could not agree to the suspending of planting operations for three months, as planting for the winter was about to commence, and the staff of workers could not be held up as suggested. On the general principle involved, however, his officers would report to him and an early reply would be given to the request made by the deputation. After a comprehensive drive through the block the Minister said that from a casual view he was not impressed with the farming possibilities of the area as a whole.