KING COUNTRY PROBLEMS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1298, 29 November 1911, Page 6

KING COUNTRY PROBLEMS.

RAILWAYS, ROADS. AND LANS' TENURE. • (By Telegraph.—! Special CnrrosroH'tenU Auckland, November 2S. Some interesting observations regarding King Country problems wero made by Dr. Crosslcj, Anglican Bishop of Auckland, when interviewed yesterday., tho Bishop has just returned from his first extended visit to tliat district, and explained that his views of it were therefore those of a fresh visitor. "I was greatlv impressed with 1 lie possibilities of 'the country, and with the ardent optimism of tho present settlers," remarked the Bishop. 'Jo ono who is not a land export that optimism teems to take tlic shape of a dangerous readiness to advance tho price of land. Tho conditions of land tenure are m some districts highly unsatisfactory, and I regard it as one of the first dutirj of statesmanship that a readjustment should speedily be made regarding both Maori leases nnd the control exercised by tho Native councils. It is on both sides a necessity for tho common wel -being ot this nation that no grievance should exist between tho pakoha settler aiicl lli« Maori landowner. Tho New Zealand settler seems to mo to be predominantly Celtic in nature, inasmuch as all seem possessed of what is known as the land hunger. This is producing a feeling of unrest and a state of friction bctwwsn the Maori and pakcha. A lovers of NewZealand must look with anxiety upon an economic condition, which, if not readjusted, might precipitate the two components of tho nation into a regrettablo hostilo position one towards the other. "Ono was driven, added tho Bishop, "to balanco the relative demands for railways and roads as features in opening up the country, and it 6truck me that, ambitious conditions run too much in tho direction of railway construction and too little towards securing well-mado roSSs nnd reliable bridges. Given some main arteries in tho way of railways, it si ruck me that tho best development of the country; both from an oconoime. and social point of viow, is rather in tho direction of making good roads than in tho jealous clamour for scctional railways." ___________