FOREST RESERVES.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20037, 19 September 1930, Page 8

FOREST RESERVES.

LARGE AREA TO BE SETTLED. ■ . (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGHAII.? WELLINGTON, September IS. The Hon. E. A.'.Hansom moved in the House of Representatives to-day tliat seventeen areas of land varying.in. size from 2770 acres to twenty perehe3, and aggregating ■■ 8404 acres, be withdrawn from the permanent State Forests. The Leader of the Opposition, the lit. Hon. J. G. Coates,' said Mr Ransbiii appeared to "have'established a record of withdrawals.from the State and provisional State . Forests. Ho asked whether, .this was being done because the land was.more suitable for'closer settlement than f or' fdr'estfy. The .Hon. W. B. Tavomer": A lot of. it should never .have been included in the State Forests. Mr Coates asked whother the Government was satisfied that all this land was suitable' for closer, sottlement.

Mr P. Fraser (Lab., Wellington Central) remarjeed that tllere had,been serious mistakes in the past. Land had been leased to; forest companies that would have been more suitable for- settlement, while, on -the other hand, there had been attempts to place settlers on land that was-only .suitable for fores'tr>'sr.;;.,,:: .'.-j •--■'vN'tf'. :■..+ :&'''■ ■'.'• •'.< • ■■s.»;' policy .. ' "' ,- ,if| Wal fpjTOposed' to : withdraw. v wero small f-'m<£sot no,; •US&' for affojestition, anoj. in mps| case* they were ( quitb well adapted for£settlement. "If Was the policy of the. Government that, where land'could produce-more if used for carrying sheep or stock it should be taken from the forestry ■■reserves and held for..settlement. - After further ,discussi6n, Mr Ransom, in rtply, said the: object underlying the withdrawals wag to; promote, settlement. It was als'o intended to .relieve prown%s; of the menace of adjoining land that had gone back; and to improve' their boundaries. The,motion--wras adopted. -