DISTRICT MATTERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15274, 23 July 1920, Page 3

DISTRICT MATTERS.

MOTJJ BUSH SCENERY. WELLINGTON, this day. An opportunity was taken by 'the Hon. W. J). K. isfncDonald, daring tho prcsen ta tif mi of a report on scenery preservation, to urge the Government to save the lino extent of bush from- Motu to Opotiki, a distance of 8 or 10 miles, which was one of the best bits of bush scenery m New Zealand. There was a grave danger of it being destroyed, lie hoped the Minister would get a report with a view to its preservation, and also look into the p-jsition of some of the education reserves m the 1-^aiity, which should bo preserved for scen'io purposes. While it was a sple^ilid scenic asset th© land was useless tor settlement, and it would be only tcmnting people to waste money on unproductive lauid if they were allowed to settle on it. The Hon. Mr Guthrie replied that he knew- the bush referred to, and his attention had beeni drawn to it by Land Department officers. He would be glad to get a report with a view to preventing the destruction of these areas. GISBORNE QUESTIONS. Mr Lysnar ha s table-d questions asking wWat steps the Government is taking to throw open for settlement 350,000 acres of native land which they have already acquired m the Urewera country behind Gisborne and Wairoa districts? Will the Government take immediate steps to open out a road from Gisborne through Tahora to the Urewera country, via Riiatahuna, where there is a made road? -Will the Government take steps to ■ complete ' tho unformed, portion of road from- the fai' side of Waikaremoana lake to the main Ruatuhuua. road, where there i 3 v gap of about seven or eight miles to make? Ah' Lysnar points out that there i> at present a good coaoh road from. Rotorim, via Galatea, to the Urewera wuutry, extending right through the heart <if it up Tiwhiti valley to Deyond R-ua-taJnina, but portions of the Gis born cTahora road and Wairoa-Waikaremoana road are uiitjoohed, with only verj rough Maori bush tracks available for Lr:t.nic, «,nd making these road gaps is absolutely essential to the proper opening up and settlement of this large and fertile area » of./ country. — Parliamentary correspondent. •" , ABOUT SO'ME WOOL. ' Mr J. V. Brown (Napier) has given notice to ask the Prime Minister — (1) Whether during the period of the commandeer of wool and meat he was aware that a prominent farmer of Poverty Bay withheld his wool when all other farmers submitted to the terms of the commandeer? (2) Whether the Imperial Government Supplies Department took any, and, if so, what steps to see that the said farmer should be brought into line with other producers? (3) Whether the said wool is still m the Dominion, and what is the legal position thereof m' 1 regard to -shipping and disposal m view of the fact that the ' commandeer was lifted on June 30 last, although the wool was clipped prior to that date.