Settling Kerikeri Plains.

Northland Age, Volume 28, Issue 14, 3 February 1928, Page 7

Settling Kerikeri Plains.

Agricultural Department Takes Control. At ihe conclusion of a deputation ;f settlers that waited on them at Waipapa on Wednesday of last week the Hon O J Hrwken, Minister of Agriculture, and the Hon A D McLeqd Mitli ter of Lands, announced that the Agricultural Department would take control ot TOOO acres o f Cn rvn I.an-1 on the Kerikert plans fo" experimental purposes, O bthalf cf the deputation it vas urged that the iard was pert.—tly sure to 'handle, „s was iiown by me experience of successful settlers In iiie vicinity, and the Gc «ernm°nt was asked either to experiment with a tpyical section or throw the country open for selection, or both. It was estimated that there were in addition to the large block of Crown LanJ at least 14,000 acr s privately owned which would benefit and possibly be brought into production as the result of Sidte experiments. It was admitted that in any case the country was better adapted to sheepfarming than anything else. Cost ot Deyelopment. Mr McLeod in the co .rse of an informal conference, wasto'd that the land could' oe nude to :arry a sheep to the acre, but ne pointed out the risk of essayng develspment at too great an expense, and remarked that land which cost £lO an acre to develop, including the cost of fencing and erection of buildings was not a payable proposition at one sheep to the acre. It would be a far better tiling if the country could be made to carry 40 or 50 cows to 150 acres, ' but he doubted the feasibility of that. Mr Hawken agreed, saying that the friable nature of the country, and its dryness in summer, made it suitable only for sheepfarming or cultivation. Mr McLeod said he would be prepared to throw open the land under last year’s legislation, provision for lree occupation with the subsequent right to the freehold through the settler effecting improvements, were it not for the fact that he feared even then settlers might fail. If it were so thrown open settlers from Southland and everywhere would come in without knowing the country. The Government could not guartee its future, but in the event of settlers failing they would blame me State lor opening it. Profiting by Experience It was hard in such cases then 1 to say, “Well, you went into it \v yrur eyes open,” If local pe pie, knowing wha: task con-f-onted 1 rr 1, d? oiicd lb essay the i nprovem wt ot thwse lands, and ' *r »kthpir own money he would he the last one to step them. If they were succeeding ti« State r gilt g've them some progresf ve assistance, but he feared the usalts of ? ft ene:al immediate c pening up of the country. “11 is a positive crime to allow men to go on such land without capital,” said Mr Hawken. "We 1 ave seen too much of that sort of unsuccessful settlement in this country, and the State has taken too many knocks over it. If there were failures in the past we sliGl aid profit now by our experience.” Mr Hawken observed that the country would make excellent f orestry land but if it were ultimately relegated to that purpose it would be inadvisable on account of the fire risk to have odd sections scattered about it. Mr McLeod : I always regard with suspicion land which was passed over by the early settlers, who were shrewd judges, and the cost of improving is high to-day. Ultimately the Ministers conferred and agreed upon the advisability of proceeding with experiments before taking further action. In view of the decision arrived at the report of Mr J B Thompson lender Secretary (or pre-

ferred to Parliament in 1927, regarding the settlement of Crown lands makes interesting reading. It i? stated therein: “Blocks of typically poor pumice south of Auckland and clay lands north of Auckland arefbeing prepared for disposal under the provisions of Ihe Land Act regulating the disposal of inferior lands under the provisions of last year’s legislation, and the result of offerinp these blocks \till be awaited with considerable interest No advances will be made to sel ctors of these sections, but the Act briefly provides for the issue of a license for a term of ten years, with restrictions on the size of sections that can be selected. No license can be transferred unless with permission, whilst the licensee is exempt from payment of general rates for a period of four years. Conditions of allotment provide that within six years the licensee shall have laid down in permanent cultivated grasses and clovers not less thah half of the area, and have placed upon the land substantial improvements of a permanent character to a total value of not less than thirty shillings per acre. All areas brought under cultivation hav® to be maintained in good order, and no improvements can be effected until approved by the Land Boaid. Provided that the licensee resides on the land, the improvements required are reduced bv half, and after six years, on completion of the prescribed improvements, a Crown grant is issued over the land."