REVERTED TO BUSH.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 1 November 1928, Page 7

REVERTED TO BUSH.

LAND OUT OF CULTIVATION. PimiAKY PRODUCTION NOW INCREASING. “Owing to post-war conditions, sonic lands occupied before the war have uone out of cultivation. This was to be cxpacted. Higher interest rates (the necessary result of war wastage <#t capita'll and increased cost of production meant that returns, from land on the borderline of .profitable cultivation did not cover the costs of working. The .-‘hrinka.gc of rural land values that drained oiolit years ago could onivy result iu a contraction of the margin that had. to be faced and the wonder is that people who- boast of their intellect and i.. o' '"lt t profess to lie surprised at its o( currenciJ,” said the Hon. 'l', Sbailor Weston at the Employers’ Federation Conference; “The fall in the rate of interest and improved methods ol cultivation, lronn now on wiH rectify this" tendency. 1 Inti ma gin of cultivation will steadily expand and every year laud whidh lias ;Otij out of cultivation and: land which r" 1 now. ha.-? noi been occupied wi’i! be taken up. The. State can best help . witn financial assistance to industrious settlers, improved roads and as■i - tinice of good farm instructors. IX E Al ll . Y 'l' AR A NAKI. “I saw the back-blocks of Taranaki settled in the ’9o>. Land was then uvcned up for settlement and taken up tj.m before decent roads, were made. TV,* defectors received no advice whatever as to the most suitable grasses to .■row. Year after year went by without any construe live ’loading policy and rir.v gradually and then at the cost of the settlers, bv the raising of special loans, metal roads took the place or mud tracks. Owing to the cost of laaiisport land on which the bush was idled si ml burned were not sufficiently fenced and the cost uf nil materials re,ll i red was made excessive. Small farm settlements were placed in areas ahso,utelv unsuitable for cloise cultivation. Looking back upon it, I can only wondo - how settlers pulled through as well as thev did and simpler at the loss of ■mod and willing effort that went on. The methods of settlement, the tack oi loading, the class' of grasses sown and insufficient fencing‘Averts some oi the main causes set in action at the iei \ commencement of that hush settlement, which, when the stress came eight yeans ago I'psulted in the deteriorated landiS problem. , • . “To-day.' with the host advice of (Jovoiiimeiit- experts, with knowledge ot the most suitable grasses to grow with ... od roads and cheaper immures these lands will: steadilv conns back into prop[ ie poor lands north of Auckland and the pumice lands in the centre of the North Island, if settlement-of these is to he success lb- State can best asm sit with expert advice as to the .methods of cultivation and suitable grasses'. good access lrom the beginning and cheap 'traiitspoa't 101 manures and lenein<r materials, and reasonable financial assistance to the capable hard-working and tlvnltj farmer.”