LAND SETTLEMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21906, 15 September 1934, Page 22

LAND SETTLEMENT

SCHEME IN WAIKATO • ' KAIRANGI AND OTHER BLOCKS The development of land for production —a seeming paradox when suggestions of quotas' and levies are considered —proceeds apace under the scheme introduced by the Waikato Land Settlement Society. Prospective settlers are energetically bringing in new areas at Kairangi in the Cambridge district; a noteworthy effort in up gorse and blackberry-infested land is in progress at Whatawhata on the Waipa River; and the subdivision of a large property near Te Awamutu, a gift to the society by a. generous donor, is being instituted. The consummation of these projects will see many worthy citizens transferred from " an environment in which they are not wanted," to quote one manifesto issued by the society, "to a place'where they can quickly become self-supporting and of real value to their country." The advocacy of quotas on the export of our principal primary products, with its inference of suspended development, is a complication which has arisen since the society launched out on its dual mission of rehabilitating men and acres. It carries on with unimpaired vigour, but it is not blind to the implications of the new position. Its attitude is that once having placed its hand to the plough in so literal a sense, there can be no question of looking back. Exists ing objectives could not now be abandoned without an expensive sacrifice in time, material and money, nor without inflicting a heart-breaking disappointment on those who depend -on the scheme for economic deliverance. Support by Public Continuity of enterprise in so far as an extension of activities is concerned might, .it, is considered, be threatened. Time,-'however, will bring the Solution to this aspect; in the meantime the moral support of the public is behind 'theL-work already in hand. Donations in cash and. kind,, still reach the society from a confident community, and the encouragement adds impetus to its operations. One would go a long way without finding a more pleasing area for -settlement, or a: more promising one from the point of view of successful occupation, than the x Kairangi block, on-which the society initiated its activities. Situated on the Western slopes of a lowlying range-of hills, the land is mostly undulating, with here and there steeper, slope and a certain percentage of flat country. From it magnificent vistas of the lower Roto-o-rangi regioa aid. seen, splendid farm lands with their air of prosperous occupancy and their example of g<?od husbandry expressed; in a green spread of well-managed pastures, giving appropriate inspiration to the toilers above. - 4 . "'' For Kairangi itself should be capable of «qual things. Already it has taken on the comfortable appearance of habitation, the excellent-looking cottages—most .of them fronted with long, cosy flun-porches—which already grace the landscape adding the initial humanising touch. At the moment most of the brown-black soil lies sweetening in the sun—acre upon acre having been turned "over by the prospective settlers now in residence in the cottages—and it will remain so until pasture-sowing operations commence in the autumn. When green swards clothe the cultivated portions and replace the " reverted " growth of the remainder, the area will certainly be one in which every prospect pleases. Already qftract has laid to perman 7 ent, pasture, but <i'n this instance necessity. was the mother of .expedition#, .and. it'will notbfe essential" to perpetifate thesaine speed and expense in the treatment of the remainder. future Policy The breaking-in operations commenced only at the beginning of the year, and it was considered expedient to establish reliable " keep " for horses and a few cows milked for domestic supply at as early a date as possible. Extensive grubbing has followed the burning-off of manuka, with the double object "of getting an area of grass in early, and' of providing continuous occupation for the men engaged on the block. Further grass will not be sown until after the summer fallow, and the need for grubbing is being eliminated on new areas by allowing ample time for the felled manuka to dry'out before -being fired. No time has been set for the commencement of dairying, to which the major piortion of the block is being devoted. Each'of the 14 cottages is occupied by a prospective tenant,. whp co-operates with the others in the preliminary work,-and who will, in the discretion of the directors of the society, be allocated a section on the completion of the task, provided he demonstrates his suitability. In the meantime he occupies his cottage free of rent, and sustenance payments are made on the usual scale by the Unemployment Board. Obviously, .he occupies an encouraging position. He is becoming well acquainted with the characteristics of the land he hopes to occupy, and should have an excellent chance of making a success of his section when he comes to farm" it on his own account. His prospects will be the brighter from the fact that the society intends providing him with sufficient fencing, stock and implements to enable him to commence on a sound basis. The sections, from 50 to 60 acres in extent, are considered to be capable of ultimately carrying up to 30 cows each, so that with a charge for the land based on productive value, the in-going will conform . with ' a .thorough economic standard.- ■ - v '■ 1 ■■ Settlers' Prospects Under' sufih conditions as these the success of the settler will be assessable in terms of personal ability. If this compares with the keenness of the men at present on the estate—and' there is no reason to suppose that they will not be the final selectees—there will be little reason to fear failure. Already the plots around the cdttages are, being f>riei)ared for kitchen gardens, and there is a general enthusiasm for improvement. Many are running poultry on the home enclosures, and in one instance the e: '-irons of the house are occupied by young fruit trees, hedgerows and- the foundation of flower plots and lawns. On this evidence the will ; to succeed is' undoubted, and the promise of tihe future is a high one. It can be suggested that - the land at .Kairangi is ideal for sheep, and that the possibility of breaking new ground in the establishment of a settlement of one-man sheep farms might have gained the Waikato Land Settlement Society an even more notable reputation than it now enjoys. The scope for profitable dairying is there, however; and the prospect of its full exploitation assured. Sheep will be run on three or four 140acre farms to be made on the highest lands of the Kairangi block when development is completed on the dairying areas.