SATURDAY JANUARY 17, 1920. NORTHERN LANDS.

Northern Advocate, 17 January 1920, Page 2

SATURDAY JANUARY 17, 1920. NORTHERN LANDS.

It is gratifying to note that the North Auckland Land Board is putting in a lot of hard work and that land is being made available for settlement in large areas. The blocks now being opened total 20,414 acres, comprising 111 sections. The Commissioner has expressed the Board's inteation to get busy this year and throw open every idle acre possible, and we sincerely hope this good intention will be lived up to. There are, unquestionably great possibilities ahead of the North, and if tho settlement of the.vacant areas could be expedited the reward would be a big increase in the volume of production. Some of the Crown land available is not first-class, and capital is required to bring it into profitable occupation, but on the other hand there are thousands of acres equal to anything which tho Dominion has to offer. The proposal to make use of the Homestead System meets with considerable favour and there are certainly many tracts of idle country which could be satisfactorily settled by this method, and we are pleased to see that a block near Whangarei is amongst the areas to be so offered. The Board has also shown commendable administrative foresight in turning attention to reclamation work and tho prevention sand drift. The problem of the sand drift is undoubtedly a serious one, Those who have travelled the road from Marsden Point to Waipu can readily see the ravages which are going on. Slowly but surely hundreds of acres arc being covered by the relentless movement of tho sand, and unless effective steps are taken to deal with the trouble the loss will be heavy. In this respect the Commissioner gives the assurance that the experimental stage has been past and that it is only a question of judicious work. If such is the case steps should be taken without delay. We congratulate tho Board upon the energetic policy which it has adopted and trust that during the current year it will perform work of lasting benefit to . the country. I