King Country Chronicle Saturday, July 30, 1932. THE GALATEA ESTATE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3400, 30 July 1932, Page 4

King Country Chronicle Saturday, July 30, 1932. THE GALATEA ESTATE.

Some weeks back there were many disquieting- rumours of the Galatea Estate that the Government acquired for land settlement. That there is some foundation for these rumours is proved by a recent statement by the Minister of Native Affairs—a statement, according- to Sir Apirana Ng-ata, that is partly endorsed by the Minister of Lands. Both Ministers had been “confronted with the views of scientists who said that same volcanic ash showers which formed pumice land had been i’esponsible for bush sickness, and this was the cause of the delay in developing the Galatea area.” Sir Apirana Ng-ata said the Government did not wish to place settlers on the land and then discover that sections here and there were subject to stock sickness. It is only natural that the Minister would minimise the trouble, and it can be said that taxpayers now have the truth regarding the Galatea pui-chase—that the land is not suitable for settlement. Both Ministers were forced into making this statement because of the repeated requests for a reason for the delay in making the purchase available for land settlement. They can at least be given credit for their candour. While good progress has been made in solving the problem of land sickness, it cannot be said that the difficulty has been overcome so as to make the cui-e a sound economic proposition on an area like Galatea. The settlers already established in and around this district ridicule the suggestion of bush sickness. There may be some really healthy land, but according to Sir Apirana Ng-ata, the Galatea Estate is “patchy,” and if it is proved to be so, the land is not at all suitable for close settlement. Concenti-ated settlement is the only practical way of placing- new farmers on the land with little or no capital to start with. A “patchy” farming district means heavy expense in the maintenance of miles of road through useless country; it means isolation for the settlers and their families with limited educational facilities; and most important of all, it means that the unsettled areas will become breedinggrounds for all kinds of noxious growths. The King Country has had a sad expei’ience of the evils of undeveloped land, and these are likely to be repeated on a very much wider scale on the Galatea Estate. It was the bounden duty of the Government to have had a thorough investigation made of this property befoi’e purchasing, for it is well known that there is a large area of doubtful country in the Galatea district. Why this district was picked on for a land settlement scheme is a question that many would like to be answered. It is situated some 30 and 40 miles from the l’ailways; roading will involve an enormous

sum; there are none of the public amenities to which settlers are entitled if they wish to provide their families with a decent standard of living. Neither this nor the previous Governments can be congratulated on their land settlement schemes. The purchase of land for this purpose has been the means of benefiting the vendor, but to the new settlers and the taxpayers they are likely to prove nothing less than disastrous.