GALATEA ESTATE

Evening Star, Issue 21931, 18 January 1935, Page 3

GALATEA ESTATE

MORE DEVELOPMENT WORK LIKELY [From Oub Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, January 18. The Hon. E. A. Ransom (Minister of Lands) is considering the advisability of further development work on the Galatea Estate, near Rotorua, where great success has been achieved in bringing into production the light lands of that area. There was a Gin rainfall on Galatea during December, and 2in in January to date, with the result that the growth of grass has got beyond the capacity of the stock to graze it. Heavy tramping by stock has done much to consolidate the new pastures, and .a recommendation has gone to the Minister that there should be further grassing and development.' “ In view of the extreme success of Galatea ” remarked Mr Ransom to your correspondent, “ I intend to visit the estate shortly to decide the question of accelerating development by cultivating a further 2,000 acres, including 1,000 acres of root crops and 1.000 acres of pasture. Though Galatea is carrying 3,200 head of cattle and 15.000 sheep, it is under-stocked, because of the fine growth of feed, and if the suggested programme is carried out we would have to carry at least 1.000 cattle and proportionately increase the flock of sheep.”