ABANDONED RAILWAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20375, 2 October 1929, Page 14

ABANDONED RAILWAY.

f. (VALUE OF TATJPO LANDS.

SCOPE FOR SETTLEMENT.

" GREATLY EXAGGERATED."

FIELD INSPECTOR'S OPINION.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —SrECIAti REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Tuesday.

The opinion that the quality and quan- j lity of lands in tho Taupo area suited for settlement, had been greatly exaggerated in some quarters was expressed by Mr. M. J., Calvin, fields inspector in the Lands and Survey Department, in giving evidence to-day before the M to Z Pubiic Petitions Committee of the House of Representatives, which is hearing the petition presented by Mr. E. E. Vaile, and 88 others, praying that tho work on the Rotorfta-Taupo railway bo resumed. Mr. Calvin was the only witness heard to day and his evidence and the information elicited in questions related almost exclusively to tho question of tho settlement possibilities of the area. Mr. Calvin said tho soldiers' settlement at Reporoa, halfway between Rotorua and Taupo, \;as regarded as the oasis of tho Taupo lands. The settlers there were ns fino a lot as anyone could wish, but they had many difficulties to contend . with. The unseasonable frosts made tho dairying season very short. Area Suited for Farmers. In tho Rotorua and Taupo Counties thero were 1,426,000 acres, mado up of 340,000 acres of Crown lands, 246,000 acres of Stato forest lands, 422,000 acres of private lands, and 418,000 acres of native lands. Mr. Galvin did not think thcro were more than 100,000 acres of country in the Taupo County suited for fanning at present. In his judgment the best country was in the vicinity of Rotomahana and P.wapiranga, south of which was;tho Guthrie Settlement. A lot of tho country thcro nad a good chance of being settled, provided a man could have 200 or 300 acres and carry slice]) to keep down tho ragwort. Tho bringing in of the country would admittedly bo a slow process, and a man attempting the task was really working for his son. Considering the tiino required for bringing in tho land it was difficult to measure tho cost. Mr. Calvin said bo had no personal feeling in tho matter, but. ho considered he knew so much about pioneering that ho was of .opinion it was a grave matter to delude tho minds of those who thought that in the Taupo country lay an agricultural El , Dorado. Mr. E. )i. Vaile's Transactions. Cross-examined by Mr. H. S. S. Kyle, Mr. Calvin said "there was no surface >vater available on many parts of tho country. Ho quoted ono ruu of 54,000 acres on which there was only one spring. Air. Calvin said he would not say water could not be obtained, but the prospects ■wero doubtful. The country was still in the experimental stage and tho success or 'failure should bo borne by the State and not by the individual. Y7itncss instanced tho case of a gentleman who, in 1897. acquired 53.000 acres of land in tho district for £3912. In 1912! ho sold 13,102 acres for £6551. In May, 1925, he sold 25,185 acres for £25,185, and in August of the same year ho sold 4800 acres for £7330. He still rotainod 10;000 acres, of which ho had improved only 1700 acres, which lie valued at £35,000. To summarise the whole transaction, he bought 53,000 acres for £3900 or Is 6d nn sere, and ho sold 43,000 acres for £39,000, and with all that profit on his transaction he, had been able to improve only 1700 acres. Asked tho name of tho person referred to, Mr. Galvin said it was Mr. Vailo. Suggestion ol "Window Dressing." "Would you consider Mr. \ailc as a pioneer because he has broken in 1700 acres of this land?" asked Mr. Kyle. "I do not want to hurt any feelings, but I consider, that to be 'window dressing' to sell the rest of the land, replied Mr. Galvin. Mr. R. Seinplo: What right liavo you as a departmental officer to come hero and say Mr. Vaile is a .window dresser'! Mr. Galvin: I was asked to express my opinion, and in view of the fact that only 1700 acr?s have been developed, and in view of the other propaganda, 1 concluded it wai: window dressing, Mr. Sempln began to comment on the answer, but v. as checked by the chairman, Mr. T. W. McDonald, who said the witness had 'the right to give his evidence in his own way. Answering further questions, Mr. GalTin said frost and cold winds were frequent in the Taupo country and in that respect the climate was much more severe than in the Waikato. The bulk of tho land in the Taupo country, in his opinion, was not fit for farming. Mr. Galvin described as an absolute exaggeration a statement that an area of 50 acres, properly brought in, would support a man and a family of three. Persosial Attacks Alleged, Mr. F. Lyo asked Mr. Galvin whether he considered Mr., Vailo a pioneer in tho pumice lands. Mr. Galvin: I think his ability as a lands salesman overshadows his sentiment. Mr. Vaile: Will you look at me and say that?/ Mr. Galvin (looking at Air. Vaile): [Yes. Cross-examining Air. Galvin, Air. Vaile asked whether he had any personal knowledge ol unseasonable frosts occurring in the Reporoa district. Mr. Galvin recalled that on one occasion in "January he visited Air. Vaile's own property in company with five members of the Land Board and when surprise was expressed at the inferior nature of the pastures Air. Vailo explained that that was due to the sovcrc frosts. Mr. 'Galvin agreed that much ol tho country would grow splendid root crops, btrt that did not signify it would grow grass. Ho' w; s certain there were hotter opportunities for settlement in North Auckland than in the Taupo country. ."I must protest against the personal attacks in this matter," said Air. Vailo. iri refere/ice 9o the witness' use of tho term "window dressing." "No personal attack was intended," replied Air. Calvin. Mr. Vaile: Do you say 1 was window dressing with the object of taking someone in ? ' "Story of a Great Crime." Air. Calvin: I did not say you wove taking anyone- in. No man can lie, criticised for trying to get the best, for his Wares. 1 saj your main object was to got rid of 10,000 acres. Mr. Vaile: Who'said 1 wanted to get rid of 10,000 acres ? Air. Calvin: I have read your "Story of a Great Crime." Mr. Vailo: Is that an advertisement for the'sale of my land? Air. Galvin: 1 think it is a very good ad vertisement. In the course of the questioning it was (stated that Mr. Galvin was giving evidence on behalf of his department at the request of tho committee. Evidence ■would als,o to given on behalf of other departments concerned, Tho sitting of the committee will bo resumed to-morrow.