THE UNDEVELOPED NORTH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15830, 29 January 1915, Page 6

THE UNDEVELOPED NORTH

VALUABLE FRUIT LANDS. " * ? s . -■ '■ * ,* •* The opinion 'that Auckland has paid 45*411 little attention to the development of i**Jp natural resources was expressed by M|i|||| Coleman Phillips, who has recently re- i turned from a visit to Kaipara. " > It is contended by Mr. Phillips thai' I tbert> is more potential wealth in ths. friable clay lands of the province than,; the flax, gold, or gum industries will ever - give. He considers that Auckland needs to inquirs further into the latent veatth of the province. ' , H3§i! The apparently -worthless lands of thai North, he said, were crying out for theirI old covering of trees. The forest growth .. j had again and again been burr.t off them, by the -Maoris, and now a start was being 1 made to re-clothe them with fruit trees. At present, people m really did not trader-" ;;- stand what was going "to happen. H«J these lands been composed of stiff clay,,.. it would not have been rxtssihle to mak» use i f them, so far as the fruitgrowing industry was concerned, but tbe"^ifbcle \ set-ret- of the wealth of this class of awn- • try lay in the friable nature of tie .<&?-" Eighteen inches below the surface, «ras .A new world fcr development. Ho '<&?■■ s : dered that if the < lay lands of jr* . North were scientifically planted wit. suitable varieties of fruit trees. Auckkna would be able to supply rot only its own i.needs, but in time to "export two million cases of apples and pears at 8s to IDs p*--case.

Before the farms in the North *w»l. planted, however. Mr. Phillips consider? M that it is of the utmost importance to faLf-s; test the maimer in which various varieties of apples and pears respond to the differ- ~ ent soils and conditions to he found in all . pans of the Dominion It was well known that apples suitable for growing in Aack-' land or to the south of it would not suit : Kaipara or further north. Evelines : in the future production of fruit was an essential factor in the success of tfce industry. '. *