MAORI FARMERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21457, 3 April 1933, Page 11

MAORI FARMERS

o „, DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTH WAIMA VALLEY SCHEME PROGRESS OF THE WORK ; Further areas of native land being developed under the consolidation scheme in the Hokianga County were visited on Saturday by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, in company with the Minister of Native Affairs, Sir Apirana Ngata. Mr. Tau Henare, M.P. for Northern Maori, and Mr. Taite Te Tomo, M.P. for Western Maori, were also in the party. The main area visited was at Waima, south of Rawene. This consists of a beautiful valley of potentially rich flats surrounded by bush-clad hill country. There , are 1500 acres of usable land, much of the hill country being second class. After the valley had been inspected the visitors were welcomed by the peoplr. The chiefs assured the Ministers that the natives were willing to work for little more than their food so keen was their desire to become a prosperous race. Most Promising Scheme It was mentioned by Mr. Tau Henare that the work so far done was so good that the Waima settlement promised to be one of the most fruitful in the' Dominion. He was pleased to see that the Maoris were concentrating on tha development of the land and were contented with the present houses, which, were reasonably good. The Prime Minister expressed his pleasure at the progress made and ho was sure that the people would carry out the work the Native Minister had set for them. He impressed on them that while the Government could do a little for them, the big work had to bo done by themselves. Sir Apirana Ngata said he had not been disturbed by the criticism of the\ scheme as he knew that the peopla were attacking their problem honestly. Had he fdlt that they were not going to see it through he would have had reason to be disturbed. He had held the Waima scheme up to the tribes as the place that was able to made £1 go the furthest. He believed that it would be necessary to go to China to see more being got for £l. The progress made in the valley during the past two years had been remarkable and he hoped to see it made the most productive valley in the North. Costs and Returns It was stated subsequently that of" the 1500 acres 300 acres were already under development. Already there were » 30 units in the scheme, each representing a family on a farm. These peopla were now milking 500 cows. A great deal of the hillside bush had been cleared by the native owners at the low cost of 10s an acre, and where outside labour had to be employed the cost had not gone over 17s 6d. So far the sum of £4700 bad been expended and there had been a return of £BSO from the liens imposed cn the milk cheques. Other areas in the vicinity were Omanaia and Whirinaki. There were 3500 acres in the Omanaia block, of which 2300 were under development. There were 20 units in this area and this Would be increased to 30. At present the people were milking 300 cows.' The cost, according to the official figures, so far had been £3650, and the return had been £6OO. The Whirinaki people had 2500 of their 3000 acres under development, and the 21 units had 550 cows. The cost there had been £I9OO and the return £6OO. Altogether the sum of £30,000 has been expended on the various development schemes in the Hokianga County and the return to date has been £SOOO. -