BAD LAND

Southland Times, Issue 19396, 10 November 1924, Page 6

BAD LAND

NORTH ISLAND PROBLEAL RESTORING PRODUCHVII’Y. COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY. (Special to the Times.) WELLINGTON, November 9. What have become to be known as the bad lands of the North Island, stretching from the Wanganui River to Kawhia are to be the subject of a comprehensive investigation by a Committee of Inquiry set up by the Minister of Lands. The Committee has a wide Order of Reference, which will embrace causes of deterioration, sizes of holdings, means of restoring productivity, and the measure of help needed to be given by the State to the settlers. PROCESS OF DETERIORATION. The story of these lands is fairly wellknown. Originally forest, they had been highly productive for many years. When the slump came and cattle became worthless, a very serious deterioration set in, and the country has since reverted in places to water, fern, and second growth of softwoods and shrubs. It has reached a stage when it becomes necessary to devise means to have the land stocked and grazed in order to restore its original high productivity. The problem of access has also become serious. To quote an instance: In the Whangomomona area, in Northern Tara naki, there is a depth of several feet of loamy earth reposing on papa or sandstone. It is all heavy bush, and when the timber was felled all the roots rotted and the country began to slide, and the roads were severely damaged through slips. During the Parliamentary session just closed, the Taranaki members, notably Mr R. Masters, of Stratford, placed the case for these lands before the Minister, and Mr McLeod promptly acceded to a request for a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the deterioration. The Minister, in announcing the appointment of the Committee, said that it would have the widest possible Order of Reference, so that he and the Government would be appraised of every feature or problem associated with bringing these lands back to productivity. ORDER OF REFERENCE. The Order of Reference, briefly set out. comprises an inquiry into the following matters: (1) The reasons for the deterioration of the lands and the most practicable means of bringing them back into successful cultivation, and (2) the probable cost per acre in that connection. (3) What measure of the deterioration, if any, is due to the disability settlers are under in regard to access to their holdings. (4) Whether the areas are generally too large or too small. (5) What form of relief it would be practicable to give the settlers. PERSONNEL OF THE COMMITTEE. The personnel of the Committee of Inquiry is as follows: Mr G. H. Bullard, Commissioner of Crown Lands, Canterbury, who in the past has had long association with the Taranaki lands as Commissioner of Crown Lands at New Plymouth: Mr Frank Cameron, a well-known Hastings farmer; Mr E. P. Fowler, District Valuer at Masterton, who is also familiar with that class of Country; Mr E. Bruce Levy, Agrostologist of tlio Department of Agriculture, who is well-known to the farming community in connection with his discoveries and experimentation in grasses; Mr Robertson, a well-known Taranaki (Tarohara) fanner; and Mr P. Keller, District Engineer at Taumaranui. Mr Cleverden, of the Lands Department, will be secretary to the Committee. The Committee met in Wellington to-day, and will leave for New Plymouth to-mor-row morning. The Minister and the Un-der-Secretary for Lands (Mr J. B. Thompson) had a conference, with them, and they will prepare their itinerary on Monday at . New Plymouth. Their peregrinations will extend from Stratford to Raglan, and their report is to be returned on December 31.