Northern Lands For Settlement

Northland Age, Volume 1, Issue 9, 4 December 1931, Page 8

Northern Lands For Settlement

Suggestions for the Government The conference of the North Auckland Counties’ Association held at Whangarei on Saturday, 21st November, adopted with a few amendments, the recommendations of the executive, published in a recent issue. Discussing the question of the division of land for settlement, Mr. A. C. Yarborough, Chairman of the Hokianga County Council remarked : “There are many farmers in North Auckland who own too much land. Only a small part of the properties is being farmed—the rest is being held. As the result rates are a burden and interest is left unpaid. If the transfer of mortgages was facilitated by the Government, many larger estates which I know of in the Hokianga County could be broken up, the present owner retaining the 100 acres or so which he is really farming. In this idea of closer settlement I would divide the holdings into not more than 100 acres, build a house costing not more than £l5O and buy cows at £5 each (or perhaps a little more next year). The whole cost would not amount to much more than £llOO, and at 6 per cent this would mean an annual rental of £66. By following the scheme I have outlined, instead of one man having to walk off his farm he would be kept there and two or three other settlers placed on the same property, in districts where the roads, schools and social services are already provided. If such a proposal was given effect there is room for at least another 300 settlers in the Hokianga. Mr. Rodney Coates (Otamatea) said he realised that there were better possibilities for closer settlement in the Hokianga than perhaps anywhere else in New Zealand. He knew of properties which could be bought for £6 10/ an acre, subdivided and grassed, while to bring some gumland to the same standard would cost £2O per acre. Not purchase of estates, but adjustments of mortgages was desired. The Whangaroa delegates, Messrs. W. H. Lane and E. Hayes, spoke of having approached a property owner near a State forest reserve. This gentleman had been persuaded to offer his 2000 acres for £7 an acre. Mr. W. H. White (Hokianga) disagreed with the principle of buying land for closer setlement when the owner would be able to carry or., as in the instance quoted in Whangaroa County. The farmer in difficulty was the one who should be considered. The chairman, Mr. L. Webb (Whangarei), said that it would be impracticable to flood the Minister in Charge of Unemployment with a list of properties suitable for breaking up. He thought this duty should devolve on the district boards appointed under the scheme. A resolution was passed asking the Government to look into the question of surplus holdings fn the North, and the conveyance of mortgages, as submitted by the counties. Good Gumfield Land A remit sponsored by Mr. W. R. Vickers (Mangonui) was that the Government be asked to make the fullest enquiries into the prospects for gum before cutting up gum lands. He said that anyone who knew the gumlands of the North was aware that scattered about were rich areas, containing in a few acres £2OOO to £3OOO worth of gum, unworkable because of water. If in development v oik for farming the land was drained, these rich places would fall into

the hands of one man, instead of perhaps providing labour for 100. Mr. Yarborough questioned the possibility of bringing in any gumland profitably, and said he would not give a shilling a mile for most of it. The chairman agreed that before cutting up large areas of old gumfields a proper survey should be made. The remit was carried. The Manufacture of Varnish “That the Government investigate whether varnish cannot be manufactured in New Zealand without exporting the raw material,” was another remit moved by Mr. Vickers, which met with general approval. Mr. Coates said he remembered two previous ventures of a similar kind which had met disaster. A friend of his had lost money in an attempt at Dargaville, and he would be chary about recommending private enterprise to take it up—much less the Government.