CENTRE OF SETTLEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13762, 29 May 1908, Page 6

CENTRE OF SETTLEMENT.

CLAIMS OF THE PAR NORTH. [BY TKLKGBAI'H. — OViS COJtKESI'ON-DKVX.] Wellington, Thursday. Tine new Commissioner of Crown Lands, Mr. James Mackenzie, speaking at his welcome by the Land Board to-day, said the Far North was likely to become the chief centre of settlement in New Zealand for som« years to come, for there were great areas of Crown land and native land yet to be settled. Much of the Wellington back country was already developed, but there was a tremendous amount of back country in Auckland that was still undeveloped, and a great part of the younger men of New Zealand were going in that direction and opening up the country. Wellington, however, had still large areas of native lands awaiting development, and no doubt there would continue to be great activity here as those lands came into settlement. Personally, his sympathy had always been on the side of the settlei<s._ He had'gone very much among them while in the Far North, and knew well the hard conditions under which they lived, and no Commissioner of any land board could hope to grapple with the difficulties that affect the "settlers unless he had gone among the people. When there was any doubt at all the jinan who does the wort on the land, and brings the wilderness into subjection, should certainly have the benefit of it, and the sympathy of the board. Where they were 'quite satisfied with such case* they should stretch the law a point in favour of men of the type to which he had referred. They should, on the. other hand, exercise their discretionary . power in the. ca«e of men who were cumbercrs of the land, and these should be got rid of.