THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19177, 17 November 1925, Page 11

THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.

UNIMPROVED LANDS. VAST AREAS IDLE. INCREASING PRODUCTION. [by our special commissioner.] No. IT. It is surprising to find even by statistical reports giving particulars of occupied lands only in the counties adjoining the Main Trunk line, how large a proportion is still uncultivated. These statistics give no particulars regarding the area of crown, native or other lands which are not occupied; they simply refer, to lands already in the hands of private | individuals or companies. In Manukau and Franklin counties, both practicj ally on the outskirts of Auckland ! city, there are 65,673 acres in the former, and 94,015 in the latter, absolutely unimproved. In Raglan country, bordering the Main Trunk, to the westward south of the Waikato River, there are no less than 148,162 acres unimproved, and even in the Waikato county eastward of the Main Trunk between Mercer and Frankton, there are 96,350 acres unimproved. In the Waipa, Kawhia, Otorohanga, and Waitomo counties further southward, there are nearly 500,000 acres unimproved. In Taumaranui and Taupo counties there are 246,446 acres unimproved. This makes a total area of 1,151,246 acres of unimproved land along tho route of the Main Trunk line in the Aucklanif province alone, and there are over 600,000 acres, unimproved in the Wellington counties j bordering the line, and a considerable area of eastern Taranaki lands making a total of about 1,800,000 acres, which is neither improved nor productive. I j mention these figures to show what great j scope there still is for increased settlement j and increased production on the route of this North Island railway, and I. can con- j fidentlv assert that from the very largo area of land classed as improved nearly double the amount of wealth now obtained j could be secured by better and more intensive methods of farming. I have known the greater part of the country through which the North Auckland Main Trunk line now runs, fo>. a considerable number of years. I knew this country before there was a Main Trunk line, and I have seen the wonderful development that has taken place since the line was built, and I know that I am only reasonably optimistic when I say that the future holds much greater prospects of expansion and advancement than ever the past has shown. Less than thirty years ago, over two thousand square miles between To Awamutu and Taihape was virgin wilderness. To-day the most advanced portion of this territory is still in the pioneer stage, and very large areas as I have shown are still wilderness. The farm lands of the King Country are beginning to pass out of the pioneer stage. The top-dressing of pastures, the improvement in the quality of flocks and herds, the introduction of lucerne, the growing of root and fodder crops are beginning to show results m increased production, and the change from crude earth tracks to metalled roads; the extension of electric power; the transformation of rough back block villages into modern well equipped towns indicate that a new era is commencing, infinitely better than that which has passed. It has to be acknowledged that the future will not hold the romance and excitement that marked the early days of King Country settlement; tho gamble in Maori lands; the balloting for Crown lands; the opening of new districts to settlement; tho laying out of new towns. But there is something better than romance and excitement, and infinitely more important to the State, and that is tho peopling of waste lands with industrious farmers; the assistance of those already on the land to j make their holdings fully productive.

Passengers by the daylight express will now be able to see something of the country which lies between Auckland and Wellington, in the length of the North Island, on its western side, but after all the view from a fast-moving train is very limi'ed. Passengers and the general public, who are not travelling, should be enabled to see something more than a rapid glance can take in. The State should tabulate the resources and advantages of the country through which the Main Trunk runs, and do more than tabulate -—make these resources available for tlipse who are willing to take their part in developing them. I pointed out at the beginning of this article that no less than 1,800,000 acres of occupied lands were lying idle between Auckland arid Wellington, within a reasonable distance of the M.vin Trunk line, and this is irrespective of unoccupied Crown and native lands. Now the bulk of these areas is not held by speculators and capitalists with tho ideal of holding them for a rise in values ; they are held by men who are ready and willing to improve them and make them productive, but ye unable to do so because they have not the necessary capital to clear scrub and plough, or to buy grass-seed and fencing wire. It takes a minimum of £4 or £5 an acre to break virgin land into primary pasture, without including buildings or live stock.

Every settler who holds 300 acres of land needs over £2OOO capital above and beyond what the land cost him, and how many of our settlers have had command of this amount of working capital, and how many with twice or thrice this area of land have this amount of necessary capital ? Something beyond what the Advances to Settlers Department is doing or can do now must be dono to enable these idle lands to be utilised. A fanner without working capital is very seriously handicapped, and it is not for the benefit of tho State or for the individual that men ready and willing to improve their lands should be left .without the means of doing so. One might just as well expect, a gold mine or a coal mine to yield dividends without labour and machinery as farm land, and there arc two things which this Dominion cannot afford to see idle, these are land and men willing to work land.

There never was a more favourable time for the State to make full use of the great facilities of tho North Island Main Trunk line than now, and the State can only do this by assisting to make, the idle lands along its route, no matter who owns them, available for new settlers, and by helping those settlers who own only moderate sized holdings to make the. best use of every acre they possess. All classes of farm produce are in strong demand at good prices. We can increase our output of mutton, lamb, beef, butter, cheese, and nearly every other food product, and then not exceed the demand in the world's markets. And since New Zealand depends for its prosperity entirely on its agricultural and pastoral industries, surely it is common sense to bring newlands' into cultivation as quickly as possible, and to increase the yield of our cultivated lands.