PUMICE COUNTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20491, 17 February 1930, Page 3

PUMICE COUNTRY.

COST OF DEVELOPMENT.

SCOPE FOR PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.

Mr. J. Campbell, Tokoroa, writes as follows:—In the 'columns of the press throughout the Dominion there has recently appeared a report by a number of Waikato gentlemen, setting forth fheir conclusions after visiting the pumice country in the neighbourhood of Rotorua and along the route of the proposed railway to Taupo. Their report states "that the laaid can readily be brought into good pas» tuie by modern methods and manuring at a very moderate cost, and in a remarkably short time, and is eminently suitable for dairying." ' can quite understand these gentlemen being impressed by the pastures and crops and paddocks capable of easily carrying a cow to two acres which they saw, but when they make the statement that the land can be readily and easily brought in at a very moderate cost, they are taking 'something for j granted, and a:e stating something that is j quite problematical. I do not suggest tTiftf these gentlemen have knowingly mis- j represented the position, but unless a person has had the actual experience of bring- I ing a Hock of undeveloped country to the stage,whefi it is fit to maintain dairy farmfers successfully, he is.not competent ; to give an opinion as to the difficulties to t be overcome and the expenditure it will involve." i"

Lack Gi Capital.

As one who has had considerable ex- . perience in the development of pumice la'nd I will take second place to no one as iv an advocate of the potentialities of such country, but I do take exception to this talk about cheap development, and I say . that the many disappointments and failures experienced by settlers in their efforts to establish themselves on pumice land, wh:icli have given this class of country a much worse name than it warrants, have been brought about by their being induced to take the land up on the un-del-standing that the workCcould be done easily and cheaply, and then finding out; that their available capital was not suffi- g f:ient to see them through. I would ask these gentlemen, why is it, if these lands can be turned into dairying country so easily and cheaply, they have been left severely alone for so long'! The fact that there are large areas of it handy to existing railway's, close to dairy factories and served by good roads, going begging, proves that there is a catch iii the business somewhere, and the answer is that the development of pumice country under i" the conditions existing to-day, from an economic .point of view, is practically impossible. • • '"•* But talking about things \viil get us \ nowhere, and 1 would suggest that thegentlemen responsible for the report, having interested themselves so far, should go further, and, with the co-oneration of the Government, promote the formation of a company with a capital of £IOO,OOO to take up a block of 10,CC0 acres of this class of country in a handy position, and bring it to the stage when it will-be cap-' able of supporting, say, 70 dairy farmers'.Should it be found possible to carry out ; the undertaking at a moderate cost, the. shareholders will stand to make a very considerable'profit, but to assure the veniture being a .success, I would suggest that arrangements be made with the Government to back the undertaking, if possible, by first, guaranteeing to take over thi» . whole thing if the company finds itself in '£• financial • difficulties;, with the job partly finished; and. second, by taking over the ';V whole responsibility of--fuiding and financing the settlers who are to take up the farms as they become ready, A proviso of the latter nature would overcome a very ' real difficulty which confronts anyone who endeavours to dispose of a property in small holdings in the'pumice area. Question of - Tonnage. In most cases 'the f ; prospective dairy farmer has very limited capital, and as •*,- commercial firms and -lending institutions, including the Stats' Advances Department, refuse to make advances to settlers taking .• u|i pumice; country, the task, c-f finding i: finance to help the intending settler to' j 'purchase necessary <-stock and plant, . i further improve his farm and carry it ;;; on, has to be foulid by the seller of the > ' land. To equip 70 settlers fully at least j £70.000 of capital would be absorbed, and i allowing that they could find £SOO each, \ '' it would mean that the company would , niiied to find at least £351000 for this, pur- ; pose. 1 consider that the settlement of' the pumice lands can 1 be more fully carried out by Some such scheme as the above, viz., that the work be done .by companies and private individuals who have the practical knowledge, supported bv- the Government with funds and settlers, ' ratheif than by the Goyernmelit attempting to do the work on a big seal® themselves; '