NATIVE LANDS

Evening Star, Issue 21721, 16 May 1934, Page 8

NATIVE LANDS

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY TO-DAY’S SITTING [Per United Press Association.] ROTORUA, May 16. When the Native Affairs Commission resumed this morning William James Scott, farm supervisor, gave further evidence regarding the various development blocks in his district. He said he considered that the Peka block would cost £l6 an acre by the time it was brought in, and even with hutterfat at lOd a lb it would take good men all their time to make it pay. He would not take up that class of country himself. He thought the purchase of Brent’s farm for £2,760 was justified. He had valued it at £3,689 himself, although the Government valuation was £2,000. It was a good change block for bush-sick' stock, although he would not have considered its purchase had another block adjacent been available. He considered that the Okere and Taheke blocks, of 15,000 acres, had a good prospect of yielding value, but they should bo run for four or five years as a grazing proposition to eliniinate ragwort. Witness mentioned a number of other small blocks which he considered reasonable purchases. Dealing with Maketu, witness said that this should carry a cow to an acre and a-half when fully developed. There was a short winter at Maketu, and the block should support a lot 6f people. This was also a sound purchase. He criticised the purchase of the Tokaanu block, however, stating that he considered it worth only £6,000 of the £13,000 so far spent on it. There would have to be a substantial writing down there. . In reply to Mr Nelson, witness agreed that the transportation costs of 4s a head on 3,000 ewes brought from Hick’s Bay to the Ruatahuna block was too high. Two shillings a head was sufficient. He thought there would also have to be a considerable writing down in regard to the Tihiotunga blocks, on which £41,000 had so far been spent. He agreed that the purchase of a farm from a man named lies for £5,000 was not justified. It had been bought as a change block for bush-sick sheep, but the other blocks available for this purpose had been purchased before his time.