DEVELOPMENT OF FARM LAND

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27638, 20 April 1955, Page 14

DEVELOPMENT OF FARM LAND

NEW PROJECT WEST OF TAUPO

36 SHEEP PROPEBTIES ENVISAGED

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 19. The Lands Department is to begin a development project that will open up the western bays of Lake Taupo. The Minister of Lands (Mr E. B. Corbett) announced this today. Three blocks are to be developed on the western side of the lake, the largest being of 21,700 acres, and the others of 2403 acres and 2648 acres. About 36 sheep farms will eventually be obtained from the project. In addition, a road would be developed, so that the western end of the lake could be reached by cars and other transport, the Minister said. “Preliminary, work has also been started on the' development of the 20,000 Ranganui block near that area,” said Mr Corbett. “About 3000 acres are already under cultivation or in grass sown this year. This year’s programme is for the development of a further 3000 acres. About 30 sheep farms will be made from this block. “Members 'of the Lands Board recently visited the Taupo area, and were impressed by the possibilities of the region,” said the Minister. “The latest estimates indicate that more than 500,000 of the 2,000,000 acres of Taupo country could support stock sufficient to multiply the existing farm production by 30. “All this,” concluded the Minister, “is in addition to the vast land development programme going on in the adjacent Rotorua area. Altogether, since the start in 1945 of the scheme involving the Rotorua-Taupo area, about 500 farms have been carved from the wilderness, and another 900 are being developed. The grassing programme for the area is being maintained at 20.000 acres a year.”