THE HANDICAP OF TAIHOA

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14895, 22 January 1912, Page 8

THE HANDICAP OF TAIHOA

FUTURE OF KING COUNTRY. A FACTOR IN THE NATION. The greatness of the resources of the King Country and the extent of the handi- ! caps under which it is labouring were j strongly, impressed upon Mr. 0. J.' Garland during a five days* visit last week in his capacity of chariman of the Auckland Board of Education. Mr. Garland travelled widely, through the districts, and observed closely the conditions of the settlers. ' * ■ ■>•■ * As an instance of the growth of the district, Mr. Garland mentioned, in an interview on Saturday, the case of a new. school in the far south of,the area under the jurisdiction, of the Auckland Board. School buildings had just been completed to accommodate 70 children, and arrangements had been made to open the school on February 5. To his astonishment, he was informed that the building was not large enough, a* there would be 109 children present on opening day. That was an illustration of the marvellous growth of the vast magnificent stretch of country lying east, west and north of Lake Taupo But the visitor, journeying from: settlement to settlement, was continually aww> of a despondent note that prevailed from end to end of the district. The settlers were crying out for a settled land-tenure; they felt themselves to be in the grip of an "aristocracy that threatened their existence, and they, were ■ demanding : the privilege "of" every British subject, the right to acquire the freehold of : their land, ! which was being made of value to the ' nation" by , the efforts of the men settled upon it. -.. '- ; - '"_'"' , The King Country, said Mr. Garland, is languishing under the fell disease Taihoaißny and its associate, -Maori landlordism. Yet there w»;s a marvellous increase in the distr.ct. The land was naturally qualified to carry an immense population, and even the rough country might .bo brought, into usefulness for sheep-growing. There were, wide stretches of land lyinp- idle which should be carrying thousands ' of■: cattle to the benefit *of the province. >* • "The King Country possesses advantages that are unknown except to those who live among them or who observe them with seeing 'added Mr. Garland. .-■.." I hope to see it one of the great facfcvs in the upbuilding of this splendid | ri«t'iU},v, of which it is one of the finest ninets." -- ' , " '"■