LAND AT AKATARAWA

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 23, 27 July 1927, Page 10

LAND AT AKATARAWA

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—-Several signatures appear to ai letter in last evening's issue of "Th*' Post" taking exception to my statement re certain lands in the above (district, all of which I believe' to be true. The mora searching the inquiry made into the facts stated by me, the greater the proof will bo. It is not only returned soldiers in the past who have lost their money in the district,. but many men long before the war period have gone out disheartened. Hud the gentlemen who signed the letter read my letter carefully they would have seen that I specially stated that several of the best farms in the district wera probably returning good.revenue,, and in' making that statement I had -iii mind Messrs. Whiteman Br6s." farms, v I am conversant with the good stock run by, them, and sold in the sales for years past* as also some of the other farmers. I would suggest that the sheep returns supplied to the Stock Department for the period of the last ten years would give the stockcarrying capacity of the whole area all the year round, eliminating if possible: those taken to other farms in the Hutt Valley certain periods of the year. The fact that equally unsuitable lands .have been taken up by returned soldiers'in the other districts, mentioned does not make the land under discussion any better. • I regret that my criticism has hurt the gentlemen's feelings. I should not have had anything to say had there not been tho suggestion that the local bodies should purchase the lands in the Akatavawa scheme in haste, and that the ratepayers would have been left to repent at leisure.' ' ''■.-., , •■ ■ .

If in the past, as the writers assert, the sawniillers have paid more attention to their sawmilling than to the farming of lands held by them, it shows that they know what wculd'pay best, and that is ail the more reason why. we should not purchase their'leavings. At the risk, although without the desire of hurting their feelings, I maintain that there" are thousands o£ acres that are practically useless, and if an independent valuer with practical farming experience is called iri before a purchase is made, to value the same, he will confirm my opinon. .That local bodies should ;start afforestation schemes under the guise of water conservation ia a thing that should: never "be permitted. Tha risk of fires, blights, and kindred troubles on deteriorated lauds is too great, and I fear that moat, if not all, of them who! tackle the problem would become hopeless*' ly insolvent. Speaking .with a long practical farming experience behind me, I ret gret to state that tens of thousand* of acres of deteriorated lands in New Zealand: would cost'more'to bring back into a proper state of production ' than evef the land would be worth. Having drawn attention to what I believe would be a great mistake if the land was purchased without further investigation and valuation, I am content to leava the matter where it stands.—l am, etc,' Bu ERNEST LEICfHTONj 26th July. . .■'_■• „ ...