DRAINAGE OF LANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20251, 10 May 1929, Page 12

DRAINAGE OF LANDS.

WOODLANDS SWAMP AREA.

STATE ASSISTANCE SOUGHT.

MINISTER'S ENCOURAGING REPLY. [By TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] HAMILTON Thursday. Renewed enthusiasm was to-day infused into settlers in the Woodlands Swamp area, a territory of 57,000 acres, near Hamilton, as the result of the sympathetic attitudo of the Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Hon. G. W. Forbes, who to-day visited the district. For four years a movement has been on foot to drain this area by means of a comprehensive scheme estimated to cost £152,000. The Minister, in stating that he was interested in any scheme which would increase production, suggested a method whereby legislation might be initiated during the coming Parliamentary session to bring the plan to fruition. While making it clear that the question of Government assistance was one for the Minister of Finance to decide, Mr. Forbes held out good hopes of State aid if the settlers also were prepared to bear a reasonable share of the cost.

Escorted by Mr. J. A. Young, M.P. for Hamilton, Mr. F. Lye, M.P. for Waikato, Mr. W. Lec Martin, M.P. for Raglan, Mr. R. G. McMorrin, chief drainage engineer, and about 30 representatives of farming and business interests, tlie Minister spent the greater pari of the day in inspecting the swamp area. He acquainted himself with the difficulties encountered in unwatering the land, which is claimed to be of splendid fertility once the forces of nature have been overcome, a fact testified to by results on the similar areas already brought into production. Increasing Laud Production.

Later the Minister met'those interested in the schemo in the Gordonton Hall, when Mr. A. M. Bisiey, president of the Swamp Development League, explained the present position. He said a survey of the area had been authorised by Mr. Massey in 1924, and a drainage scheme had later been formulated. The magnitude of that, scheme had at first rather startled the settlers, "who had felt that the burden of expense would be too great. To-day, however, they regarded the position in a different light, and it was now felt the work was one of national importance. The Government was therefore asked to subsidise the scheme, which would greatly increase production and permit closer settlement. Considering the large area the cost would not be excessive. It was true there had been some differences of opinion, but at a recent meeting of the seven drainage boards interested it had unanimously been decided to press for a board of inquiry, charged with the main task of initiating legislation for the amalgamation of the various boards, which was the first step toward putting the scheme into operation. Mr. Bisiey recalled that in such cases as the Rangitaiki and Hauraki drainage works the Government had given a pound for pound subsidy, and a similar claim was made for .the. Woodlands scheme.

Speaking on behalf of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, Mr. F. H. Clapham said the business men of Hamilton recognised that the town's future welfare lay in the development of the swamp lands near it. " Key to the Situation." It was stated by Mr. Young that none of the present drainage boards, with their limited financial resources, could undertake the large scheme. The clearing of the Komakorau Stream, the key to the situation, was urgent, because serious inconvenience was caused by winter flooding. That work would be part of the bigger scheme. Mr. Young suggested that either a local bill should be initiated to provide the requisite legislative machinery setting up one representative board, or that the Minister should be persuaded to make such a bill a Government measure.

The scheme was also warmly commended by Mr. Lye. A warning note was sounded by Mr. Leo Martin, who said he could see quite a lot of difficulties ahead. Ho was prepared to lend all his influence to the clearing out of the Komakorau Stream, but the question of draining the swamp area into the Waikato River raised the larger issue of the effect of that drainage lower down the river. He said he would, not support a scheme which dealt with the swamp, but not with the river. "I have investigated this problem with an absolutely open mind," replied the Minister. He said that as a farmer he realised that land of this district's quality should not bo left in its present undrained state. Large sums of money had already been expended by the State in drainage works, and (he present Government would not depart from a policy that had proved both sound and necessary. A fair step on the way to starting the scheme had been taken by the unanimity reached by the interested local boards, and the next step was to secure agreement on the legislative requirements. Settlers Should Do Their Share.

The land in tho area was mostly freehold, and thus the Crown was not greatly interested as an owner, so that those who would benefit must bo expected to do their share. But the Government was interested in increasing production, as well as in putting more men on the land, and the scheme would increase production. The measure of the Government's assistance was not a question for him, but for the Minister of Finance, from whom he promised to try to secure the most favourable consideration

Mr. Foriics said it would require a local bill to provide the machinery to create a combined district.

Mr. Young: Cannot wo persuade you to "father" the bill ?

The Minister said his support could be relied upon, hut he thought it better for the locaL members of Parliament to handle the bill. "I think 1 can answer for the Government in saving we will help the bill through," said Mr. Forbes. He also added a suggestion that a local committee should be set up to put the legislative proposals into shape and to ascertain what amount the district would be prepared to bear toward the cost of the scheme.

A unanimous resolution was passed expressing approval of the suggestion. Mr. Younsc then suggested that consideration should be given to the matter of financing the scheme by rating on area instead of on valuation.