WAIRARAPA LANDS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 122, 21 February 1928, Page 6

WAIRARAPA LANDS

CLOSER SETTLEMENT Masterton, February 20. Following the suggestion made a couple of mouths ago by Mr. F. Norris, of Masterton, that an endeavour should be made to encourage small farm settlement within a three-mile radius of Masterton, thereby increasing the productivity and prosperity of the district, the Chamber of Commerce, before whom the matter was brought, will discuss the question at its monthly meeting tomorrow.

The chamber has interviewed the land agents of the town in the direction of obtaining their co-operation, but it does not appear that anything of a very practicable nature can be done. The question is viewed for the most part as one for the Government, whose difficulties in the case, however, are appreciated also. The provision of roads is regarded as the chief obstacle it being pointed out that if the Government bought land in the vicinity of Masterton at £lO an acre, subdivision costs of £5 and reading costs of £5 would have to be taken into consideration, making a total of £2O an acre, which was too high a price for small farm settlement.