THE PUMICE LANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20480, 4 February 1930, Page 4

THE PUMICE LANDS.

A VALUABLE REPORT.

OPINIONS OF FARMERS.

GREAT POSSIBILITIES. The report of a body of farmers who recently made an extensivo tour of the pumice lands in the Rotorua, T.aupo, Atiamuri and Tokoroa districts is of great imoprtanco to Now Zealand. Tho report, which bears eight signatures, reads as follows: —"Wo have inspected a great part of the pumice area and have seen paddocks equal to anything in the Waikato at a similar stago of development. We have visited the farms of Messrs. Alexander, Tripe and Seccombe, in Heporoa, and traversed tho settlement in all directions. We have also visited Strathmore, Broadlands, Waiotapu and Wairakei and the Guthrie Settlement. The result iB that we have formed tho following decided opinions:— " That this country comprises by far the largest area of land availaole in Now Zealand for improvement and settlement iL small areas. " Uiat the land -can readily be brought into good pasture by modern methods and manuring a< a very monerate cost, jnd in a remarkably short timo, and is eminently suitable for dairying. " That for successful settlement a railway is absolutely necessary. \Yo therefore strongly urgo the immediate resumption ol tho construction of the RotoruaTaupo railway as a national work of the first importance."Tho report is signed by I ho following:— Mr. D. Stewart Rcid, formerly M.P. for Waikato; Mr. J. Barugh, chairman of directors of the Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company for 15 years, and chairman of directors of tho Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company for 11 years; Mr. D. V. Bryant, a successful Waikato farmer and founder of the Bryant Home Trust Fund; Mr. Dynes Fulton, chairman of directors of the New Zealand Cooperative Dairy Company, Limited; Mr. F. E. Hughes, a director of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited; Mr. Robert J. Glasgow, a director of tho New Zealand Co-operativo Dairy Company, Limited; Mr. C. J. Parlane, general manager of the Now Zealand . Co-operativo Dairy Company, Limited; and Mr. J. E. Makgill, chairman of directors of tho Auckland Farmers' r "eezing Company Possibilities of Areas.

It can be seen by these names and tho positions that their owners occupy that the opinions expressed should carry weight. In fact, no more authoritative report on the pumice lands could bo possibly obtained. The statements made regarding the possibilities of the areas mentioned for farming purposes bear out in a striking manner the views expressed by this journal during many years. No one can possibly accuse tho authors of the report of personal or pecuniary bias or deny the fact that the opening of these lands to settlement would greatly betiefit the dairying and the frozen meat industries. Many other practical men agree with these Waikato farmers in declaring that the pumice areas offer the greatest scope for close and profitable settlement that can be found in New Zealand, and assert I that if the Rotorua-Taupo railway were constructed, in combination with a big scheme of land settlement it would largely solve the unemployment question by offering farms and a permanent living to many men who are now crowding the ranks i

of labour. Since tho North Auckland land district, once deemed quite as difficult of settlement as the pumice areas, has been turned into one of the most productive and prosperous parts of New Zealand, and such districts as tho Bay of Plenty and the King Country have proved so worthy of occupation, it is only reasonable that public attention should be turned to the utilisation of tho central districts of the North Island which represent the pumice areas. These areas aggregate over 5,000,000 acres and are capable of forming a largo new province equal to some of the oldest and best in the Dominion. The easy nature of the country and the character of' the soil make it highly suitable for small farms, so it is not too optimistic to assume it would in time carry a very large rural population. * It has vast forests of valuable native timbers and the most extensive, exotic timber plantations owned by tho State or by powerful companies are to be formed there. Need for New Farms.

Undoubtedly the greatest proportion of easily worked settleable country lies along the route of the much-talked-of RotoruaTaupo railway, and there is certainly room there for thousands of new farms and farmers. If the State, and the private companies which are now engaged in planting this part of the pumice areas in timber trees, would spend as much money in making farms, as they are spending on planting operations, or it they would combine the two and devote the arable land to agriculture and the hilly and broken land to trees, they would find enormous scope for their enterprise, and a sound investment for their capital. Plantations may be swept away by fire, but farms continue. Timber plantations requiro very many years and a great locking-up of capital before they mature, farms can be made to produco wealth in a few months. As a matter of fact, tho arable country between Rotorua and Taupo should bo the great fattening ground for all tho surplus stock of the East Coast, and in such oose, by the growing of root crops and clover hay, could bo made fo carry a great number of sheep and cattle through tho winter months, which would enablo tho country to bo laid down in pasture at a very low cost and ensure monetary returns from land within quite a reasonablo time after settlement.