"SMALL SETTLERS LAND."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15821, 19 January 1915, Page 5

"SMALL SETTLERS LAND."

NORTH AUCKLAND'S FUTURE.

MR. MARTIN KENNEDY'S VIEWS.

"I should say that it is the country for the small settler." remarked Mr. Martin Kennedy, of Wellington, a. director of the Bank of New Zealand, in referring to the North Auckland district. Mr. Kennedy, who hue been on a brief holiday visit in the "North, returned to Auckland yesterday His trip took him to Whangarei and then on to Russell and through the surrounding country, back to Whangarei, overland to Dargaville, and back via Helensville to Auckland.

"For reasonably small settlers the district promises very well I should say." continued Mr. Kennedy. "It appears' to be more a cattle than a sheep country, while good applo-growing land is to be found in many parts. The fanner has to work his land constantly, however, and has to keep it well stocked if he desires to do well, for if left to itself the land is apt to go back rapidly to a state of nature. It is useless for a man to spend a lot of money on a farm in the North Auckland district anil then practically allow it to take care of itself for tho time being, as the Wairarapa farmers, for instance, are able to do. Therefore, I think that small rather than large farmers would do better in the North, for it is reasonable to think that the smaller farm would receive the close attention necessary.

" A great deal of the district has a volcanic soil and is very valuable, and especially is this true of the land towards the west coast. To my mind the west is much the better of the two coasts, and about Kohukohu and southwards I saw a very large area of good land. Much of the country, however, is lying waste, and does not appear to have been given a fair chance. The sawmills liave been very active, and, having taken away all the heavy timber, have made the grassing of the land difficult. From the farmer's point of view it its best to fell the timber, allow it to lie for two or three mouths, and then have a burn. That results in the land securing a good supply of potash and a good growth of grass is easy to obtain. Of course the timber men have done well, but it has been at the expense of the farmers who followed them- From my casual inspection I should say that, j taken as a whole, however, the North should repay attention."