THE PUMICE COUNTRY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 9, 12 January 1932, Page 8

THE PUMICE COUNTRY

IMPRESSIVE WORK

INSPECTION BY SIR J. PARR

"I am convinced that the- once-de-spised pumice country is about to come' into its own," said Sir James Parr, Leader of the Legislative Council, on Saturday,-on his return to Auckland from : a holiday tour in the BotoruaTaupo district, reports the "New Zealand Herald." ' "We in the city'hardly realise yet what a striking new asset of production for New Zealand these tens of thousands of acres are destined to be," added Sir James. "Last week I saw the soldiers' settlement at Eeporoa, and the Broadlands Estate, where Mr. Earle Vaile has proved^what can be done with what seemed twenty years ago to be a barren wilderness, but which to-day displays pastures equal to almost anything in the Waikato. The prison farm near Tokaanu, started by-Mr. Justice Herdman when he was Minister of Justice, and developed later, wheu the same portfolio was in my hands, is growing root crops unsurpassed in New Zealand. ■ . CUTTING UP 20,000- ACRE BLOCK. "I spent two days viewing, the present operations at Ngahura and Guthrie, near Eotorua, where the Lands, the Agricultural, and the Public Works Departments are all working together as a team in reading, fencing,-and grassing 20,000 acres of typical pumice country," added Sir James/:; " Of course, almost everything depends ■■. on proper manurial treatment, just as invthe Waikato. Pield'v experiments by the Agricultural Department at; Ngahura, testing out different seed and.; manure mixtures under; the : advice of ■■ Dr. Coekayney Dr. Ahnett, arid'other experts, are of the \ greatest':'lvalue.'..: The Department is to be praised for^ its enterprise. Farmers should see what.is going on there.;' ?,'-;l': "■*.'•-;V:^i.y;:;^;;-S;<i;>-V:: !";'•■■".;■■ "The idea : :is -itb^;cutf :~h these settlements; up into. 200-acre' f arms.and settle theml- Next year -they will have 60 or 70 new. settlers tnere. V Personally,l think 100 acres; or.so sufficient for a small • farmer vynth little capital. A larger area!..spells; larger overhead expenses in interest and so forth, and looser farming. ; Intensive -cultivation is the thing'nowadays.i-Lam. sorry all the scrub and tea-tree have been cut out. Shelter will be a ; vital question." Sir James paid; a. tribute toj the Maoris for the hard work they were doing in, breaking in their lands at Horohorp. "The Government is-finding the money and paying them wages in ' the meantime, the cost to be charged to the lands and to carry interest," vhe said. "I saw 30 Maoris at work, fencing, ploughing, and mowing hay. Whether their enthusiasm will last is doubted by some students of Maori psychology. Time mil tell. MAORIS' SPLENDID WORK. '' Certainly at present, nothing could be finer than the display of communal spirit and energy with which these Natives are working together to open up this block. Each worker itf to have his own section when it is developed and fenced. The results already are astonishing. Their clover pastures are two feet high, and are being cut for hay. I do not wonder that the Gover-nor-General, who visited this area last month, was greatly impressed, "I saw the Departments at work on Mr. Troutbeck's 20,000-acre station at Galatea, recently purchased by the Government for closer settlement at £4 or £5 an acre. Roads are being made and fences are rapidly being erected. Expedition seems to be the order of the day. It is hoped to put 80" or 100 settlers soon on this area. It is isolated, being 30 or 40 miles from the railway. Consequently, a little town is to be created about the centre. ■ "The land is of varying quality, and it has hitherto;been a sheep and cattle run, growing danthonia,", said Sir James. "One will watch with interest the Departments' efforts^to turn this estate into dairy farms. .■ "Altogether one forms the. impression that the Government is alive to the fact that the pumice country is cap- ( able of profitable development, and the Departments are doing sound work. I believe they will be able to put new settlers on these lands at a.fair and economic cost. As for myself, I am sure the day is not far distant when this country may rival even my native Waikato in productivity."

Captain T. V. Hill, master of the Niagara, who is at present on holidayleave, was a passenger on the Maunganui, which arrived from Sydney today. Before resuming command of the Niagara at Auckland on 25th January, Captain Hill intends making a tour of New Zealand. He is accompanied by his wife.