MAORI FARMERS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 62, 6 December 1930, Page 8

MAORI FARMERS

Good Work on East Coast REMARKABLE PROGRESS Reference to the excellent work being undertaken in dairy farming by Maoris on the East Coast between Opotiki and Cape Runaway was made yesterday by Mr. F. W. Furkert, engineer-in-chief to the Public Works Department, who has returned to Wellington after a tour of various districts with members of the Main Highways Board, of which he is chairman. Mr. Furkert said he had been surprised to find that the Natives had made such progress on their farms in two years. They bad in many cases to overcome great difficulties, but members of the board had seen herds controlled by them which would have borne most favourable comparison with any of the choicest in Taranaki. In somO instances herds of 50 and 60 cows were being milked, and at one group settlement about 300 cows were in excellent condition.

The Natives had taken up the industry with remarkable thoroughness. In places the cowbails had concrete floors, being conducted in an hygienic manner and with the latest, appliances. The new settlements were divorced from the old idea of a Maori village. Excellent houses were found and in general the Natives showed quite clearly that they had taken the experiment seriously and were determined to build up an industry along modern lines. • Considerable difficulties were experienced in getting cream out of the • district. It had to be loaded on to a launch on a rough coast and transported to Te Kaha, where it was taken by road to Opotiki. The Maori settlements in the farming area referred to were not Served by road as yet. although proposals were being considered to provide a link On many occasions the sea was too rough to take the cream to Te Kaha and it had to be left until the weather permitted the launch to sail. In spite of these hardships the settlers were doing excellent work.