Northland Settlement

Northern Advocate, 18 October 1947, Page 8

Northland Settlement

Rehabilitation

(Special) KAITAIA, This Day. * Further efforts to promote the settlement of Qualified ex-service farmers on Northland properties, with special emphasis on the large tracts of idle land available, may be made as the result cf recent discussions at Kaitnia.

The chairman of the Whangarei Rehabilitation Committee (Mr J. W. Parkin) met members of the Mangonu). County Citizens' Rehab. League executive for an informal exchange ol views.

As a result Mr Parkin was asked to contact interested parties at Whangarei with the proposal that local bodies and others be asked to appoint, delegates to a central Northland conference pressing for a speed-up ol exservicemen's settlement on Northland lands.

After advocating for this purpose the exploitation of Northland's vast areas of idle Crown lands which could be made available Mr Parkin was advised by the league chairman <Mr W. R. Craig) and other members of the comprehensive efforts already made by this organisation for the use of such areas in Mangonui County. LACK OF PROGRESS

A large file of reports and surveys had been lodged with both the Rehabilitation and the Lands and Survey Departments setting out the potentialities of the Far North in this respect and the impressive opportunity for rehabilitation settlement.

The soundness of the league's submissions had been admitted by authorities. from the Minister of Rehabilitation down, but practical application had been conspicuously absent.

As the number of ex-servicemen from the late war settled to date on Northland farms was regrettably small and the waiting list discouragingly large, the league was more than concerned with the lack cf progress from the men’s viewpoint. At least 500 Northland men had been graded “A" for farming. Discussion recognised that shortage of fencing and other materials had delayed land development in the Far North but Press reports indicated that large tracts were being developed elsewhere for settlement by ex-ser-vicemen.

STILL NEGLECTED

This indicated that Northland men, for instance, might conceivably be required to settle on a class of country totally different from that on which they had gained their qualifying experience. This class of country might also be inferior to their home area. The league's scheme for Far Northern settlement had been submit|pd two years ago, it was stated. One special point made was that an application for selection of a. farm section on the Motutangi Crown block had been declined, the department concerned advising that this area was being held for development. In the two years since, no development was evident —here or elsewhere. The league was also concerned that best use in potential settlement was not being made of the Waipnpakauri defence area.

Mr Parkin considered that carpentry trade trainees should now be available to build the necessary farm homes.

League members added the comment that in Mangonui County there was r.o shortage of timber, which was being shipped out from Awanui port almost daily.