TAUPO PUMICE LANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15234, 22 February 1913, Page 8

TAUPO PUMICE LANDS.

i ; THROUGH SOUTHERN EYEf.; \' GREAT FUTURE FCMB'M 3TED. . i ',' A visit to Taupo and &he lands concerned ; in the ptf-> ion of the Taupo Totara iup- . ber Company to the Government, has .1 i just been paid by Mr. G. J. Anderson,, j M.P. (Mataura), who acted aa chapman , > of the Select Committee which invests-j ' gated the matter during last SB?.<sk«> .of ] > Parliament. On his return to Wellui&st';h | . Mr. Anderson gave a reporter his impr-i.s-, > sions of the land traversed during his jour- ■ ney. To a Southlander, Mr. Anderson re- \ marked: —' 'The pumice country does not appeal at first sight; .but when the results " of cultivation, reasonable i-wouring, and : , ;udidc«3 treatment are seen, cue's opinion '> is considerably modified. 1 am, therefore, of opinion that a great future- lies before I the pumice country, but I do not agree with those who consider that it is a poor nuvn's country. I believe that capital will have to be i'oind for any settlers with, ■ limited means wfor. Ik& induced to take, up land there. Anotuei' factor that has in he taken into consideration is iba» fact that in the vicinity of Putaruru sheep do not thrive; after two seasons .they contract bush sicteics■.«, .arid other . si'./.-r.lar diseases. \Vc?l& I:\Q3 it ,V:ttaruru I wi;s informed that the Agricultural Department is ex-perimenting-with some lambs which have shown signs of. wasting. Cattle thrive all through this country, and settlers told me they never recognised any signs of bush sickness among their herds. The proper ; treatment or the pumice country must, to a i' large extent, depend Upon the experiments , of the Agricultural Department. It would certainly bo a wise course for the Government to cairy out extensive experimental ' work here, and to assist in every way to Kott'ft the enormous area of lands surrounding .Lake Taupe, both to the north and 3 | south! Th:. native lands in the district I'l'vJ'i] also be a big handicap, and. whatever 3 :-> • der. 3 to promote ..ettletnent by the Dei ! I'M'ti'.•'T-t, the native owners should bear :■ some the cos; -if the work, which will .-•J&dd greatly to - :,■'..« value of their lands. 3 The most impd'slant factor in <: soiling these lands must be easy and cheap means of » communication, in order that settlers may f- obtain, fertilisers .-or the land at reasonable i rates. I am fully convinced- that the ve : commendation of the committee last year was a wise on©. The railway from Puta- ' ruru to '"'JMok.ii! suits ' the purpose i for which it was : . made. It opeya . up a very krgti area of country, 3 and' serves the ■ purpose of the , settlers admirably. Vi is,, however, sinuous * and very light,"and: if it were taken oyer r by the' Government, prcssmu would be immediately brought to beat bring it up ) to the same gauge as the '''main lines, on . account of the desire of' the public to tn>,5 vel quickly. A company c*a resist this pressure much mora at xcessfully than a ' Government, and, besides, a fast service j is not required. The committee recommended that the company should be al- j lowed, to take the line on to Taupo, and that the- Government should guarantee its \ debentures for £50.000. I 'believe that ! this would be the best thing under the circumstances. In conclusion, Mr. Anderson remarked that in the Taupo district there is an area of botvreen three and four million acres, and if it only carried half i a sheep to the acre it would add enori mously to the productivity of the country. The land must be sold cheap; it would , even pay the country to give it r.way, and , assist the settlers as well. If the Govern- , rnent allowed it to get into the hands of ', speculators it would be a bad. thing for the 5 country." .•','■