MAHIA-OPOUTAMA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19227, 20 January 1937, Page 8

MAHIA-OPOUTAMA

INCREASED SETTLEMENT PLEA FOR ELECTRICITY (Herat ! Correspondent.) Too long has that bugbear, ‘‘the native question,” been permitted to hold back certain districts to the east and. the south of Wniroa., and this has been partly duo to the non-individualisation of native-owned lands. Moliaka is now fairly well under way to a speedy settlement, of a very important issue. Ip recent years there has been greatly increased settlement, activity in the Opoutama-Mahia area, and a great deal of land formerly in the wilderness state is now being brought, into prqiilable occupation, and quite, a high price, over Is 6d per lb. was realised at I lie last Napier sale for Opoulama. wool.

There is, however, still much to lie done, and the example set by Mr. .Justice Johnston and others might well he followed by more farmers. The coming of the railway about three years lienee should do much to bring about a more prosperous era. for that district, in which an extension of the reading facilities and the provision of electric power should he the predominating factors. Cheap and reliable power for OpoutamaMahia. and elsewhere is almost imperative, for only in this way, it. would seem, can small farms lie made to pay.

.Many farmers in this (list,rid contend (hat, as tlie Government, has imposed extra costs on industries, it, should meet part of the extra expense by providing cheap power, not only in what aro known as settled areas, lint well out into the hack-blocks. The power boards, they consider, can never do (his work, hut the (lovcrnmcnt. no doubt could do it.