ROTORUA-TAUPO RAILWAY

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 15, 3 October 1929, Page 6

ROTORUA-TAUPO RAILWAY

VALUE OF FUMICE LAND MR COCKAYNE’S OPINIONS WELLINGTON, Oct. 2. [Further evidence was heard by the M to Z Committee of the 'House today with respect to Mr Vailc ’s petition re the Taupo railway. Alfred H. Cockayne, Assistant Director General of Agriculture, said that the country was moderately well watered for large holdings but extremely ■ badly watered for small holdings. Pumice country was uneconomic if there was only to be low production from it. He said it varied consider- 1 ably in .quality and the total area that .could be developed, even at considerable loss, would be nothing like as much as a good many people imagined. Certainly it would not amount to the “millions o'f acres” that 'had been loosely spdkcn of. “T would not mind,” he said, “having a go at breaking in pumice land if I were not a Government officer. The Government has to pay‘'full wages for all work done and I doubt if any waste lands in New Zoa- ( land which have been brought into production have paid wages to the pioneers who 'have worked them for many years. Tf in a Government settlement scheme one could secure pioneering determina- i tion, it could be made successful. At this stage the committee adjourn i ed until to-morrow.