WHANGAMOMONA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7111, 25 April 1910, Page 9

WHANGAMOMONA.

WHERE LANDLESS MEN HAVE PBOSPEKED. LIBEEAL LAWS MAKE CONTENTED SETTLERS. Whangamomotta—in the hinterland of Taranaki, on the eastern boundary or the province and abutting on the King Country—is a striking example of tho benefits following in tho train of liberal assistance to landless men. In its virgin state the district was a vast network of low-lying papa hills, which presented great difficulties in roading and bringing to profitable use. The settlers, however, wie-re of the right class to undertake the great • pioneering task ahead of them. Without metal to cover their roads the men who first faced the subduing of thocountry experienced hardships of a more strenuous nature than usually falls to the lot of the backbloc-ks pioneer. Many of the experiences—espe-cialiy of the brave. women who faced tlie isolated region to assist in the home-building—-the settler dees not care to talk about. He is satisfied that, having dono his share in subduing tho wilderness, he has now a farm-house of his own, and is enjoying a life of comparative independence.

The settlement of the 'VVhangamomona district was made possible in the first place by the liberal land laws of the lato Sir John McKenzie, as 'embodied in the Act of '92. The settlement of the" Whangamoniona district was one of the first attempts to. solve the land-hungry problem by giving an. opportunity to men of little or no capital to settle on the land. Everything was made as easy as possible for the plucky occupiers. Money was advanced them for the felling ot the bush, the grassing of the land and the building of a house? the total cost being capitalised and the settlers being only called upon to pay 4 per cent, less i per cent for prompt payment, which meant a charge of only 3i per cent. To assist in the payment of this the roading <c£ the district was dome on the co-operative system. Thus the settlers were enabled to pay their way till some return could be obtained from their farming operations. The liberal treatment of the Wha&gomomona pioneers has been more than justitied. The landless men who were assisted in a common-sense way to secure a home have made the very best use of their opportunities. They are now contentedly settled with families looking for more land to wrest from the wilderness. Many of them have reached the stage of having to employ labour. It is gratifying to know that a general feeling of contentment prevails. They are satisfied with the aitea originally granted them, and the only aggregation going on is among, men. who came to the district with capital. The increasing prosperity of the district is proved by the fact fiat ten years ago the marketable products consisted of a lew bales of wool and. a ton or two of butter, whereas to-day over 1500 bales of wool aro seat to market, in addition to 70 or BO tons of cheese, several tons of butter, and a coneiderable quantity of hides, skins and tallow, ity reason of the extended roading and railway facilities the district is reaping the prosperity which is its due. A decade ago the settlers who had taken up dairying had to accept 3d a pound for butter-fat. This season they are receiving lOd; and niext season the turn will ptrobably bo higher. The value of wool and other products has increased in a similar ratio.

The completion of tha Stratfoird-Onga-rue railway will make a vast difference to the Whangamamona country. Settlers are' looking forward to "this longdesired connection with the outside world as an event pregnant of vast possibilities. They expect to then be able to join in the movement for the establishment of co-operative meat freezing works at New Plymouth, where, it is confidently expected, oversea steamers will yet be able to load at the breakwater.