SETTLING IDLE LANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20383, 11 October 1929, Page 15

SETTLING IDLE LANDS.

SCOPE IN KING COUNTRY,

PROBLEM OF NATIVE AREAS.

INVESTIGATION BY MINISTER. [by telegraph.—special reporter.] WELLINGTON, Thursday. Applause greeted the statement of tho Minister of Native Affairs, Sir Apirana Ngata, to a King Country deputation today that he proposed to spend three months of tho recess in that district with a view to investigating the question of native lands. The deputation represented the local bodies of tho district, and was introduced to tho Minister of Lands, tho Hon. G. W. Forbes, and Sir Apirana Ngata by Mr. W. J. Broadfoot, member for Waitomo. Mr. F. Langslone, member for Waimarino, was also present. Mr. Broadfoot said tho deputation felt that tho best way to serve the interests of the local bodies was to facilitate settlement, which should if possible be on the district plan. Mr. C. Boles, Mayor of Taumarunui, emphasised tho great amount of undeveloped land in tho King Country, mentioning particularly a huge block at Punga Punga east of Taumarunui, and close to the Main Trunk railway. Tho Borough of Taumarunui had a debt of £150,01)0. In tho past largo revenue had beon derived from tho sawmilling industry, which was now less active, and unless land development was prosecuted in tho district it would bo difficult for the borough to meet its liabilities. Assistance to Natives. Mr. V. \V. Lorigan, representing tho To Kuiti Borough Council, the To Kuiti Chamber of Commorco and the Waitomo Power Board, said there were large areas of native land in the King Country and it was desirable that such areas should bo settled. Ho advocated tho placing of tho natives on tho samo footing as Europeans as regards finance in order that all might have the same facilities for developing tho land. Without taking into account tho native lands tho settlement of tho King Country would be a "wash out." Regret that no particular reference to native lands was contained in tho Land Laws Amendment Bill was expressed by Mr. L. Jones, who representee! the Waitomo and Waipa County Councils. Mr. Forbes: Wo can purchase and settlo native lands. Mr. Jones: I am pleased to hear. that. "Tho native lands constitute the most difficult problem," continued Mr. Jones. 'I think Sir Apirana Ngata has the matter in hand, but 1 consider it would take a long timo to solve the problem the way he is going about it. Tho settlers in tho Waitomo County have their district well roaded, but tho fact that most of tho native lands pay no rates makes tho situation awkward. There is a lot of good native land in tho King Country near tho main road.% It is very suitable for farming in 200-acre blocks, and while land like that is available it would bo a mistako to buy highly-priced land." Noxious Weeds Menace. Mr. Forbes: There are some in the South Island who aro not so fortunate in having that sort of land to cut and carve. Mr. Broadfoot: We would welcome them up north. Mr. S. Knight, of the Ongarue Ratepayer' Association, and Mr. W. E. Waldegrave, representing tho Raetihi Borough Council and the Chamber of Commerce, also joined in the representations. The former stressed tho menace from ragwort and blackberry if absentee lands were not farmed. Tho Ministers ma do only brief replies owing to their attendance being _ required ir. the Houso. "I propose to give three months to the King Country in tho recess," said Sir Apirana Ngath. "I want to concentrate on that district." Mr. Forbes said ho recognised the possibilities for development in tho King Country, which he had had the opportunity of visiting in tho last recess. Ho had been ijnpressod with the amount of land capable of increased settlement. He looked to the King Country to provido a good deal of the land that would bo settled under the Government's settlement policy.