KAPUO BLOCK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 102, 2 May 1930, Page 8

KAPUO BLOCK.

LAND IN NORTH AUCKLAND. IS IT SUITABLE FOR FAKMS t MINISTER'S DECIDED VIEWS. (By Telegraph.—Special to " &tar."> RUSSELL, this day. One of the most interesting experiments happening in the Xorth, as far as agriculture .is concerned, is on -what is known as the Kapuo Block at Waipapa. The -whole area consists of from 10,000 to 20,000 acres, and is known as ironstone country, which has growing scrub but has never carried forest. The question to be decided is whether the area is suitable for farming or whether it should be used for afforestation. Yesterday afternoon on the way fr° m Kaitaia to Russell, the Minister of Lands and Agriculture, the Hon. G. % Forbes, visited the site of the experiments, which are in charge of Mr. k. Hamblyn, instructor for. the Agricultural Department in Xorth Auckland. He explained to Mr. Forbes that the soil was of a comparatively recent vol.canic formation, containing a high P er " centage of iron and lhnonite pellets. Qn the surface it was apparently suitable for cultivation. The cheapest and most; expensive methods of pasture establishment were being used side by side in order to ascertain which would yield economically satisfactory results. Although only a comparatively «3inall area of 10 acres was .being dealt with, the experiment covered a large range of methods. The Minister told the large gathering of settlors that until the Government was satisfied what could be clone, the land would not be offered for settlement. There had been too much in tlie past of settling mon 01 , unsuitable lands, and he would not countenance such a practice. In this he had the support of his colleagues in. the Cabinet'.