PAKIHI LANDS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 30 March 1936, Page 7

PAKIHI LANDS

“TARANAKI OF THE SOUTH” WORK OF CAWTI-IRON INSTITUTE The pakihi lands of the West Coast, for many years considered waste land, will soon be regarded as the Taranaki of the South Island, according to the Hon. P. C. Webb, Minister of Mines (states the Christchurch “Star-Sun”). In an interview last week Mr Webb said that, as a result of treatment of the pakihi lands in the Buller district under the direction and supervision of the Cawtliron Institute, it had been demonstrated that land previously considered worthless would yield up to four tons of hay in the second year’s growth. There were over 40,000 acres of this land adjacent to 'Westport, and the great bulk of it was certain to be converted into useful dairying country in the not distant future.

"There are over 150,000 acres of this land on the West Coast which was previously considered useless, but I think that, as a result of this knowledge, it can now be claimed as one of the most valuable assets of the Coast,” added Mr Webb. “We are loping to have 800 acres of this land in use by next year. On this eight settlers can he placed on land which should run at least one cow to two acres. This gives some idea of the possibilities of the West Coast from a dairying point of view. “The hind can bjj brought into fertile use for under £7 an acre. This includes draining, fencing, and correct fertilisation. After two years’ growth a pad is created that will enable the hay to he taken in on motor-lorries, whereas when the land was sown in glass, and the first coat of lime was spread, it was impossible to get a horse in. and it had to be sown by men in gumboots.” Air Webb added that the cost of upkeep of this land was considerably less than that of the rich land of the Waikato.