LANDS PLICY

Hokitika Guardian, 25 May 1933, Page 4

LANDS PLICY

DEVELOPMENT BLOCKS IN N.I.

GALATEA, ROTORUA ANDONEPU.

{Per Press Association Copyright.)

! *■' ‘ROTORUA, .May 24An important indication 0.f.. diis Department’s policy .in regard to the Galatea, the Rotorua, and the Onepu development blocks was.’ giv- v. en by the Minister* of. Lane's, Ml- Ran-, 1 som, in the course of his ..remarks s' in opening the Rotorua .Winter -Show and new show ibuildings to-day, ' The ' Minister said‘that although a great deal of criticism . has. been directed at’ himself and the Department... in a regard to the development " .of • these -V areas. h e had proceeded along' a -definite fine of policy, and lie did not intend to bn diverted from' the line of action upon which he’ had deter-: mined. He felt he could justly claim that excellent .results: had been achieved, and that the -policy was atnpfy; ; justified. ' In regard to Galatea, Estate Minister said the of this- ( estate had been his" first venture,- as Minister of Landis' and The was prepared to accept full responsibility forit. He' had been criticised. for .* the ,de- •- lay in settling . the: area, but his pol-' icy was to proceed to' a proper , consolidation of pastures’ .before throwing open any sections for selection,

■ The Lands Department : wo S at pte* • sent running 10,000 acres of . better ' claM .paeture as -a abeep ahd cattle run, which was developing the, weaker section. The run : was at present returning ‘satisfactory Interest upon • the capital inveßtmentr ; -'‘-. ; '-.-Tiw";,,totat area avall.aible in the Galatea Estate ‘ was -22,000 acres, and it was propsed to divide it into- .approximately 200 sections of 100 acres each, The. first ballot would be held in February of next year, when 20 sections, on which new grass was consolidated, would' be offered. In 1935 a further 30 Or .40 sections would be with: phother 50 -the- following’ year- and, so on until 1 the • whole block- was" taken, up. Dwellings . and' buildings would be provided on •50 per cent; of,•* the sections, and the remhindbr would be left vaicant for settlers who. ..desired .to get their , own homes.- The, Same- policy in regard to buildings would , rbe adopted on the Ngakuru and ; ‘Ohepu blocks, and payment byv the settlors would be made by instalments.’. • It was ajjso proposed to .establish . a deihonstvation farm at the Galatea Estate on the same lines aa orie a,lready successfully operating at Ngakuru.'. The Minister also gave- figures of production for Ouepu and .Ngakuru, showing that excellent’ results -. had. been achieved in .-a comparatively short' space of ’ time. ' SuminalrUinaV the Departments policy with; -/ Tegbra ' the three blocks, the Minister said that between the present time and February, next, thirty-one 'sections - would be offered for . selection at Ngakuru, 18 at Galatea, : and;,. 20 ’; at Oonepu, making a total r> 6{ -69 'sections, These’would all be in- perinftnent.vpa*tuTe, and ready to’ take "herds./, Buildings would be erected on 60 pbr . cent, of these holdings, and- .advances *ur the erection of buildings would;/be available in other The. ; ; Minister added that for a number;'-P.f years, be h-a,d been convinced there were excellent . prospects of .4®* veloping the pumice belt,' and 'he claimed that (he results.; from, • the settlement schemes at present in operation fully juStmed confidence.