LAND IN IDLENESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18389, 3 May 1923, Page 8

LAND IN IDLENESS.

THE EMPTY KING COUNTRY.

SCOPE foe DEVELOPMENT. . INADEQUATE ROADING, TOUR ,OF ' M.P.'S CONTINUED. [bx ' telegraph.— special reporter.] TB KUITI. Wednesday. The impression created by yesterday's visit to the Rangitoto County and Kopaki of limitless areas of idle land calling for cultivation was heightened-to-day, when .the party of members of Parliament inspected 'other portions of the vast King Country. • Thero are now 16 M.P.'s on tour, Mr. J. A. Young (Hamilton), and ■ Mr. A. Harris (Waitemata) being the new arrivals. Piopio, Mahocnui and Aria were tho districts visited to-day. In each place greater progress has been made in settlement' and in consequence dairying is being carried on to a larger extent than in the districts seen yesterday. Each locality is well on the way toward becoming a prosperous farming centre, and the good crops and pastures and well-conditioned herds afford convincing proof of what can be achiev6d by effort. Yet even in these places where settlement is closer, comparatively speaking, than elsewhere, the great emptiness of the King Country is demonstrated. Thero can be no escaping the chief need of this spacious region of opportunity—it is settlers . and yet more Bottlers. The relatively greater development of the districts visited to-day is reflected in the improved nature of the roads. What roads there are, are undoubtedly good, and after the spell of fine weather they were in splendid order. They are, however, in a sense the district's main highways. .. Access Facilities Needed. By-roads one seldom sees, and this is a striking feature, for it shows that settlement is more or less confined to the established- roads. Thero could be no better indication than this of the pressing necessity for better access facilities for the hinterland. Reading and development go hand in hand, and the great areas of untouched land, so responsive to the cultivator, demand that a vigorous policy of opening up the country with roads should bo prosecuted. Hero again, there are difficulties owing to the native tenures and the problem arising from Maori ownership reasserts itself. After leaving To Kuiti this morning the party drove- through the fertile Oparure Valley, which contains some of the finest dairying land in the King Country. -A number of Holstein and Ayrshire herds were • observed in the valley, and one settler stated that his property of 1014 acres, of,which a considerable'portion was still in scrub, was carrying one cow to less than two acres. He pointed out the difficulty arising from the conditions _of the lease from the natives, there being no security of tenure and' no compensation for improvements. Some amusement was caused by a gentle hint given to tho M.P.'s by .residents in the district, who had erected a calico sign on the roadside with the printed intimation.: "Nearest school five, miles." At Paemako, 20 miles from To Kuiti, the sohool was passed, and- the children cheered.,- • '-.'.'" '" • ''•

': ; '\ Rich Mahoenui Valley. ; Travelling, on the Awakino Road, which is the main route to New Plymouth, the party passed through Piopio and proceeded, to Mahoonui, a rich valley snugly set among high hills. Here the settlers entertained , the visitors at morning tea and were thanked by Messrs. W. H. i Field, M. J. Savage, and J. C. Rolleston. Only three miles from Mahoenui are the treacherous Taumatamaire hills, which have for so long prevented better communication between the Auckland and Taranaki' provinces. Now the barrier is ..being removed by the new."Awakino Valley Road, which commences; at the foot of .the Mahoenui side of the hills. Conversation - with the settlers showed that they are fully alive to the benefits that will • accrue from the deviation, and they are : eagerly looking , forward to the com- • pletion of the work. A return was made to Piopio, and on the way the great, extent of ideal sheep country, apart from the-dairying land, attracted notice. The tenure difficulty is prominent here as in other parts. A contrast is provided by hilly slopes on one side of the road showing plainly the response made to ■ cultivation, and on the other side is fern-covered land on which no advance toward productivity has beer, made. There was other conclusive evidence' of the adaptability of the district to farming treatment, and the whole presented a striking illustration of the land in practically its virgin state and then in varying stages of development; After luncheon it Piopio the school children were addressed by Messrs. J. A. Young and W. J. Jordan, and a start was made for Aria. "•'•.■, v\ : ■ ■■■■•. : "

District Hydro-Electric Scheme. Five miles from „ Piopio the Wairere Falls were viewed. The settlers in the district have formed an electric power board, and they have a scheme for generating 250 horse-power from the waters of the Mokaii River. It is estimated that up to 1500 horso-power could be generated, but fit present there is not the demand for that amount. The main object in view is tho use of the power for milking machines, and one of the members of the board slated there are 150 dairy farmers within. a 10-mile radius who will tako the supply. The next step in the board's operations is to obtain the sanction of the ratepayers to.a loan for the establishment of the hydro-electric station. At Aria the compact new dairy factory was inspected, and a director. gave an interesting review of the increase in production. In 1918, the factory's first year, 11 tons of butter were manufactured, and last year the output was 193 tons. For the season, how drawing to a close, it is considered the manufacture will range from 260 to 270 tons.

Addresses were given to the school children by Messrs. R. F. Bollard and A. Harris, and, after afternoon tea, the party returned to Te Kuiti. To-night the visitors were entertained at a social gathering at the Te. Kuiti Club. To-morrow they will visit Otorohanga and the Waitomo Caves. ;