SETTLEMENT OF LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20331, 12 August 1929, Page 10

SETTLEMENT OF LAND.

BAY OF PLENTY AREAS. INVESTIGATION BEING MADE. [ilY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CI.KI'.ESrONDENT. J TAURANGA. Sunday. When at Tauranga last June representations were made to the Minister of Lands. Hon. G. W. Forbes, with a view to having opened for settlement any available areas of Crown lands in the. Bay of Plenty district. Mr. C. F. Macmillan, M.P., who introduced the deputation at the time, has now received the following letter from the Minister: —

"I have received a preliminary report from my department, from which it appears that to a great extent the Crown areas arc very broken and would he difficult to farm economically, owing to the small proportion of workable land, while there would also . be considerable difficulty io the matter of providing suitable access. It may bo possible, however, to open a few of the sections for selection within a reasonable time, and tho commissioner of Crown lands, Auckland, is investigating the sections individually with this end in view. "It is also possible that some of the lands may be suitable for working m conjunction with adjoining lands, and applications from any settlers in the district for additional areas will receive due consideration.

"Apart from the Crown lands, I am advised that there is a great deal of unoccupied private land, belonging to absentees or others who arc not working their properties, but my department is, of course, not in a position to meddle with this. However, if the Development League, tho County Council or the Borough Council will indicate any specific sections or blocks which it is considered aro capable of being successfully farmed, my officers will be pleased to look into'the position with respect to tlie title to such areas, and to advise whether it is possible for the Crown to take any steps toward furthering their settlement."