THE FAR NORTH

Grey River Argus, 12 June 1915, Page 6

THE FAR NORTH

DISTRICT WITH A FUTURE

« KTTLEMENT WANTED

The Attorney-General, the Hon. A. i.. Herdmuu, who has just returned to Wellington after making a comprehensive tuir through the North Auckland district, has come home with very pleasant recollections of the hospitality of the people, and quite convinced that .the far North is destined to bo a procperous part of New Zealand in the days to ecme. "It is true," said Mr. Herdmnn, when asked, by a reporter to give some impressions of his trip, "that there is mucli Wasteland in the far North widen appears to be useless, but I passed through tousands of acres of Crown and Native land fit for settlement, and even the so-called useless land will, in the opinion of many competent judges, some day be utilised for fruit-growing. The greater part of the Native land is not being used by the Natives, and Mr. Merries is doing his best to speed up the settlement of the large areas that arc lying unproductive.' With regard.; to the Crown lands of the district, the Minister is of the decided opinion that something should be done to bring about their settlement, "unless," he said, ' ' timber-utting rights, granted make speedy settlement impractical, I cannot see why stem's should not be taken to get every acre of good land settled. Eailway construction, roading, and bridging, of course, only add to the value of Native land in -a district. It seems to me, therefore, that unless the surplus Native lands are purchased soon, as times goes on the Crown will be forced to pay more for the land in the district in which it is spending money upon public improvements. The Crown will be forced to pay the added value which it is steadily creating by expending public money." Mr. Herdman had a lively experience travelling over the bad roads of, the North in very bad weather, and is full cf sympathy for the settlers who have to go through, these quagmires to get their produce to the markets, ''tfome of the roads iv. the North," he said, "are in a deplorable state, and I have now some conception of the difficulties which at present beset the settlers whohave gone far back into the bush in the North to make their homes, but a better time is in store for them. The railway has been pushed ahead during the last six years, and if the Government's plan . (approved . by Parliament/ last session) of borrowing specially for ■the construction and improvement of back-blocks roads is proceeded with after the Avar i a over, communication, between different centres will be more rapid and travelling less arduous. I feel convinced that when the railway line advances another 10 miles into the interior, settlement will jump' ahead.

There is already talk of starting a freezing works in the Bay of Islands. Farmers Avere being canvassed Avhen 1 Avas in the district, and considerable interest was being manifested in the project."