THE FAR NORTH

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2484, 10 June 1915, Page 3

THE FAR NORTH

A LAND WITH A FUTURE NATIVE LAND OBSTACLE ELECTION FEELING THE CAMPAIGN & THE MAN The Attorney-General, the Hon. A. L. Herdman, who lias just returned to Wellington after making a comprehensive tour through the North Auckland district, has come home with' very pleasant recollections of the hospitality of the people, and quite convinced that the Far North is destined to be a prosperous part of Now Zealand in the days to come. "It is true," said Mr. Herdman, ■ when asked by a reporter to give somo impressions of his trip, ''that there is much waste land in the Far North Vi'liicii appears to be useless, hut I passed through thousands of acres of Crown and Native land tit for settlement, and even the so-called useless land will, in the opinion of many competent judges, some day be utilised for fruit-growing. The e Tea t part of the Native land is not being used by the Natives, and Mr. Herries is doing his best to speed up the settlement' of the large areas that are lying unproductive." . "With regard to the Crown lands of the district, the Minister is of the decided opinion that something sliiould be done to bring about their settlement. "Unless," he said, "timber cutting rights granted make speedy settlement impracticable, I cannot see why steps should not ba taken to get every acre of good land setltled. Railway construction, roading. and bridging, of course, only add to the value of Nativo land in a district. It seems to me therefore that unless the surplus Native lands are purchased soon, as timo goes on the Crown will be forced to pay more for the lands in the district in which it is spending money upon public improvements. The Crown will bo forced to 'pay the added value which it is steadily creating by expending public money." Mr. Herdman had a lively experience travelling over the bad roads of the north in very bad weather, and is full of sympathy for the-settlers who liavo to go through these quagmires to get their produce to t'he markets. "Some of the road 6 in the North," he said, "are in a deplorable state, and I have now some conception of the difficulties which at present beset the settlers who have gone far back into the bush in the North to make their homes. But a better timo is in store for them. The railway has beeai pushed ahead during the last six years, and if the Government's' plan (approved by Parliament last session) of borrowing specially for the construction and improvement, of back-block roads is proceeded with after the war is over, communication between, different 'centres will be more rapid and travelling less arduous. I feel convinced tuiat when the railway line advances another ten miles into the interior, settlement will jump ahead. There is already talk of starting a freezing works in the. Bay of Islands. Farmers were being canvassed when I was in tho district, and ' considerable interest was being manifested in the project." Asked whether he would express on opinion as to the campaign jn the Ba.r of Islands by-election, the Minister said that the large majority attained by the Government candidate, Mr. Stewart, was in the main a tribute to the personal esteem in whiih he was held in the district, and it was also a protest against the action of_the Opposition in pursuing Mr. Reed with such relentless bitterness. "Many electors," continued Mr. Herdman, "spoke to me about the excellent- public work which Mr. Reed had done since entering Parliament. It was said that the charge upon which ho had been 'convicted by the Election Court had been thoroughly threshed out during the general election, and was perfectly well understood by the electors when Mr. Reed was roturned. As to the other charges, the average man considered that it was not 'playing the game' to trump up against a political foe serious accusations involving moral obliquity, to publish these charges bioadcast through the papers of the country, and then at the last moment to drop the oharges so carefully and patiently constructed. Mr. Stewart will make an excellent member. He knows the electorate thoroughly. He is a. good business man with a considerable experience of local body work. I hope to see him representing the Bay of Islands for many years to come."