NATIVE LANDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 47, 24 August 1939, Page 15

NATIVE LANDS

DEVELOPMENT PLAN

SOUTH AUCKLAND AREAS

VARIED ACTIVITIES

(Special to the "Evening Post.") j AUCKLAND.. This Day. With over 55,000 acres of Maori lands in South Auckland now gazetted as being subject to development, the Native Department is directing activi-j ties on a comprehensive scale that should bring about a considerable im- ' provement in living conditions among j a large section of Maoris. Of this area; 28,000 acres are in grass in various' stages and carrying stock, while other work is proceeding on 16,000 acres considered suitable for development. Some portions of the gazetted area are either in bush that will be retained or are j not capable of cultivation. j Some blocks of land are being developed as a whole, subdivision being intended later. But the bulk of the land is settled by unit farmers who per-j haps own a share of what, in effect, are family holdings. Hitherto diverse ownership and lack of finance and techni-! cal knowledge have retarded progress, but once occupation rights have been settled and financial and other help established, results are impressive. One aspect of the help given is in housing, the conditions of which in some areas have been deplorable. In some instances houses are built; in others, huts j are provided. Generally speaking, houses and huts are being erected under the.Public Works Department, and Native carpenters are mostly employed. In at least one district all the labour comprises Maori tradesmen under European direction. EXPERIMENTAL WORK. Interesting experimental work is being done. In the King Country, where both sheep and cattle are grazed, two cleared bush areas in which the stock had suffered from bush-sickness were taken over and the pasture treated with superphosphate and cobalt. Such enrichment of the pasture has been responsible for obvious improvement in the quality of the stock. Lambs are heavier than before and fleeces have gained in weight, while disease has been reduced to a minimum. Shelter trees are also being planted on areas denuded in the past of their natural forest covering. In the past year 250,000 trees, mostly pines, wex^e planted on Native lands in South Auckland. A practice has also been • the planting of barbary hedges so that other shelter is available for stock. Applications from Natives for assistance in the improvement of holdings are coming forward steadily. These are chiefly for small areas, but there have been some fairly recent additions of large blocks to' the scheme, and it is stated that the taking over of 1500 acres of undeveloped land near Tauwhare, between Morrinsville and Cambridge, is now impending. IMPROVEMENT WORK. One new area is a block of 976 acres near Waikaretu, and 26 miles from Bangiriri. It is badly infested with blackberry and ragwort. Fern country will be brought under the plough, and much draining and fencing will have to be done. „ Work has actually started and it will be energetically prosecuted, but it is hoped to make an improvement without unnecessary delay in the living conditions of the Natives. On this land huts are favoured for the time being. About 3700 acres of reverted lands at Ranui have also recently been taken over. . Operations will probably be concentrated on about 1000 acres. A woolshed has just been built, for 1000 sheep are now on the property as well as about 80 cattle. About two years ago 5300 acres at Aramiro, 25 miles from Hamilton, were brought within the development scheme. Operations started a year later, and three cottages and twelve huts have been erected, with a noticeable improvement in the health of the Natives on the property. An adequate water supply and sanitation facilities have been provided. Eventually it is considered that subdivision of the pro-' perty will be possible, it being expected that this year good progress will be made in the improvement of the lands and pasture. At Ngahape, approximately eight miles north of Otorohanga, 806 acres are receiving attention.