Unproductive Crown Lands.

Observer, Volume XVI, Issue 925, 3 October 1896, Page 19

Unproductive Crown Lands.

A BAT OF PLENTY GRIEVANCE.

Some of the. settlers in the Pongakawa Bay of Plenty, district, are not particularly enamored of the Government's method o* dealing with Grown lands in that vicinity. According to a correspondent, Mr S. Langford, of Pongakawa, & policy of '* masterly inactivity ' characterises the Crown Lands Department with regard to the Government areas of waste land in the district. Mr Langford writes to ns as follows: — ' There are 21,000 acres of Crown lands, here, right in front of us, kept idle. If all this land were settled it wonld be a very great blessing to Grown tenants in this settlement, who have sank very large sums, entirely through placing faith in the so oftrepeated public statements made by the Premier and Minister of Lands, that they would settle the land. These statements induced settlers to take up Crown land here and £20,000 or more has been spent during the last six years, naturally expecting and depending that the other Crown ' lands that snrround the settlement, and completely lock us in, would be opened np at once. Although petitions have been sent every year and most sessions to the Minister of Lands, the Commissioner and our member during the last five years, they are still kept idle. And they are the very cause of stoppage of all progress and prosperity, and causing ruin to Crown tenants here who have Bunk very large sums, entirely depending upon their being opened up, which would give the settlement a road, and the only practical outlet for produce and stock.' It seems that there is a great deal of truth in this, for the roadless waste lands which act as a block to Pongakawa settlers gettiDg their produce down to the nearest port, Maketu, are really a hindrance to other settlers until they are settled and roaded. Mr Langford continues : 'If we were asking the Government to spend money unprofitably it would be very different, but if they only made a road across the idle Crown land in front of this settlement to Maketu, our port, it would not only serve for this settlement and enable settlers here to grow maize and other crops to make a living now our capital is small, bat the same road would also open the only practical outlet for 21,000 acres other Ciown lands, and wonld increase the value of that 21,000 acres far more than it would cost to make the road, for the whole distance across to Maketu is only 5 to <>- miles, and nearly level all the way, the distance across the swamp part of it is only 1J to 2 miles, if so much, and any quantity of earth at both ends, so it could not cose ranch. But if they drained the land in the swamp, their own surveyor stated voluntarily, after he had surveyed and taken the levels of it 5 years ago, that there ia so much fall, so much firm land and the land so good, that it could not cost more than 5s an acre to drain and make 5,000 acres or more worth £2 an acre, and available for settlement, or nearly £9,000 profit. He said his report would be favourable and Government would be sure to have it done at once. But, instead of opening it op or any of the Crown lands here, as they make such a boast of doing, since then everything has been done to prevent the Crowii land in this district from being settled ; even to using their office and power to make incorrect and untruthful statements against the quality of the land in the district.' We have heard of this before, and we certainly think the authorities should facilitate the opening up and draining of this block, which will yet sustain scores of families.