SETTLING THE BACKBLOCKS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7267, 25 October 1910, Page 1

SETTLING THE BACKBLOCKS

ALONG THE WAIMAEINO SOME PARTICULARS OF PROGRESS MALE. ' IMPROVED 1 FARM SETTLEMENTS. Some particulars of the, progress of land settlement, along the groat stretch of Waimarino Country, North Island Main Trunk Railway, were furnished a '‘Times” representative yesterday by Mr James Mackenzie, Commissioner of Crown Lands, who lias just returned from an extended visit to that district. Starting at Mangaweka, Avbere he dealt with scenia r reserve and milling matters, the Commissioner moved on to 'laihape, thenco to Taumarimui, talcing in tlto improved fann settlements -extending roughly from Taumarunui ou the north to Raurimu on the south. STATE! AID TO SETTLEMENT. The Waimarino Improved Earm Settlement occupied a considerable portion of the Commissioner's attention during bis tour. These farms were placed on the market last year with the object of assisting men of good character and industry, who were then out of employment, to make a start on the land. The State helped them to the extent of advancing Aloo towards the erection of a house, and gave an advance of 30s per acre on bush felled, not more than .£75 being advanced in any one season. Out of 102 original selectors there aro now seventy families on the settlement who are carrying out improvements., A number of these settlers are in actual residence, either on th© sections, or camped on clearings adjacent to their holdings. "I visited all the sections except three or four/' said Mr Mackenzie, and interviewed every settler I could Juki m the district. In addition to .bmshielhng, they have been employed by the Public Works Department m the construction ot roads to give access to their holdings. The difference between the /0 ana 10*original settlers docs not mean that the others are defaulters. Special exemption has been given to some on account ot the timber, so as hot to cut it down before it was milled. In other cases the settlers have don© their improvements for the year, and are simply waiting for the burn; whilst a small minority have made no move at all. These null be dealt with at the next meeting of the Land Eoard, and probably their interests forfeited, as there are others only too anxious to take up any of the sections. In fact, odd sections have become a hindrance in a way, as they interfere with the continuity of the work of. clearing, and it seems no use temporising with these any longer. The selectors on the unimproved farms .have an interest up to X2OO in the milling-timber on their sections; wo have already succeeded m disposing of some of ■ this . timber, and are how negotiating with several millers for th© balance. As the timber is sold, the proceeds are credited to the selectors. A GOOD LOT OF SETTLERS. "Taking them altogether, they are a good lot of settlers, and out of, the seventy you would not see above three or four whose bona tides can bo questioned in any way. You have, of course, a fair percentage of men who have never handled an axe before. Still, they are in earnest. There has not been any tendency to 'spoon-feed/ but 1 to promote genuine settlement by helping poor people to take up these Crown areas. The maxipmm area allowed is 2UO acres, and the selections rangfe from 50 acres to the maximum 200 a-cros. Those I have spoken j to, after their first season, arc very hopeful, and the only grumbling one; hears is from a few who have not been | able to fell enough timber to get on to j thieir holdings. There is no section in l this improved farm settlement more than five miles from the Main Trunk rail | way, and a good deal of the land is ; adjacent to tho railway. The country will, in time, be good dairying country, and that is what the so,tiers have in their minds at the present moment. It will, at any rater enable them to use this land as perhaps a stepping-stone to better and more profitable areas in the future. Meanwhile, it has taken them from the cities and placed them on work that is helping to develop the interior. : MILLING AND SETTLEMENT. , "Considerable areas have already been taken up. for milling, and that ; is one of ,the troubles to be contended with—the milling and settlement going on together. ■ The settler wants to get his : bush down, so I have arranged to take the lands suitable for, milhug, the miller taking the strips along the frontages, so as to give th© settlers a start. There is a largo area not’all milling timber', on which there is practically no restriction in.ropard to cutting, some of it, even, in open country. The advantage in getting the mills there is twofold. It is not for revenue purposes that one looks at it so much as tho saving of the timber from absolute waste, while employment is given at the same time to tho people who have taken up the land. IVHAT IS LEFT. "Practically, for immediate settlement purposes, there is only something like 60,000 acres left in tbe great Waimarino district, and that is between Eetaruke and Eaetihi. This is now being got ready for selection. The surveyors are on the block, and the department hones to have aj.ooo acres available for selection by March next. THE GENERAL OUTLOOK. , “Speaking generally, the district through which I travelled has never looked so prosperous and hopeful. Labour for bush work is extremely difficult to get. For instance, men employed at buslifclling and bush work generally are being paitl a minimum of 10s a day, running up to 15s a day, and there is difficulty in obtaining men even at that price. ' There may, of course, he men applying for this work who are quite unfitted tor it, end who simply pass on. Bushfclling is going on in all directions, so far as labour can be obtained, particularly in the Kaitieke block. Grass is abundant everywhere. This is the second good season they have had. Stock is looking well, and prices are good. The lambing season, especially south of Waiouru, has been very favourable. Tho percentage has been very high, the average about 110, and we hear of individual coses of 150 per cent, being mentioned. When thev get all the mills going on the improved "farm portions of the Main Trunk line, an additional impetus will be given to settlement. Speaking of the milling industry: this is looking very