FUTURE OF NORTH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21493, 17 May 1933, Page 12

FUTURE OF NORTH

" great opportunities " SCOPE FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS WITH SMALL FARMS MINISTER'S FIRST VISIT \ "The North Auckland district is capable of considerable further development," said the Hon. A. Hamilton, Minister of Employment, who returned to Auckland from Dargaville last evening after paying a short official visit to the district, the first he has ever made. "To-day it offers great opportunities to those -who care to take-up farming as their occupation in life. The Minister said he made the trip to get into touch with the unemployed problem in northern centres and to discuss local difficulties, and, secondly, to see for himself the operation of some of the settlements organised under the small farms scheme and to investigate the possibility of further development. With regard to the discussion of unemployment difficulties, he thought his visit might be responsible for removing some misunderstandings that had previously existed. •'lt was my first visit and I was naturally interested in the agricultural qualities of ■ the. land," Mr. Hamilton said. "To one who comes, as I do from a province where there are large areas of flat, good quality agricultural land, the land of the North does not appear too attractive. The great bulk seems to be of poor quality, but there are some good patches here and there. Easily the best land I saw from an agricultural point of view was the area known as the Dargaville Flats. However, it is capable of much improvement.

Work of Unemployed

"I was pleased to note that quite a number of unemployed are engaged on drainage work on this land. Hie result cannot be anything but profitable, both to the local bodies and to the settlers concerned. The area, properly developed, is capable of carrying a large population, closely settled. "Another area which promises satisfactory development under the small farms scheme is the "Whangarei Harbour flats. L visited this area and it appeared to me to be most suitable tor settlement by unemployed workers. "I was pleased to note throughout the North that unemployed sien are engaged in useful work, such as drainage and road-making. There is great scope for future development in both directions. I had frequently heard ot the 'roadless north,' but that is certainly a misnomer to-day. The main roads are equal almost to any in New Zealand. However, the local bodies, in conjunction with the Public Works Dgpartment and the Unemploj ment Board, could well make considerable improvements to many of the backblock roads." Limited Amount of Capital The Minister said he visited a number of small farm settlements, some of which were small in area and separately located, while others were larger areas from subdivisions. Although the latter, generally with farms of about 50 acres each, were generally accepted as being more desirable than" the smaller 10-acre farms, it had to be remembered that the primary object of the small farm scheme was the relief of unemployment. \ With the 6ame amount of capital many more men could be settled on small individual areas than on larger areas from subdivisions. It had to be remembered, too, that the amount of capital available was not unlimited.

The larger farms were generally situated in localities some distance away from good roals, schools and dairy factories, and it could easily be seen that the provision of the necessary facilities for every such settlement would involve increased capital expenditure. The settlements of smaller farms were generally in more suitable localities. "Thousands of men in New Zealand have made a living off 10 acres, supplemented by work on adjoining land," Mr. Hamilton said. "It is all very well to say that larger areas are needed, but we have to keep a fairly firm hand on expenditure." The Minister said he visited a number of camps during his tour. Generally speaking, they were rough and ready, but nevertheless suitable for conditions obtaining. The men seemed fairly well provided for under the circumstances.