DETERIORATED LANDS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 219, 15 September 1928, Page 6

DETERIORATED LANDS

Government’s Assistance Towards Solving the Problem The decision of the Minister of Public Works to subsidise rates actually expended on maintenance work on certain of the backcountry roads in the Waitotara County, marks an important step towards the solution of the detcriroated lands problem in the areas concerned.

Most of the hill country behind this coast provides excellent pasture for sheep and station cattle, some of it having earned the reputation of being the best of its kind in the world, but thcr<j are areas where the formation of the country is totally different and grazing lands that once gave promise of pastoral wealth have reverted to fern and scrub. It is to these areas that agriculturists have recently been turning their attention. Hardship and Failure The story of the deteriorated lands has been the story of hardship and failure experienced by many farmers. In the early stages of conversion from bush to grazing land, the areas displayed -wonderful fertility. English pastures grew luxuriously and turnips sown on new burns gave splendid feed. Sheep and cattle thrived amazingly and the new settlers were warranted in holding high hopes that a few years of the hardships inseparable from pioneering would merge into well-estab-lished prosperity. But the original fertility waned; the English grasses commenced to fail, and all sorts of native rubbish encroached. The steeper slopes, the shady sides of hills, and the poorer quality land failed badly. Representations were made to the Government, the settlers pointing out the gravity of the position, and the Department of Agriculture soon stepped in. A Deteriorated Lands Board, assisted by the Agricultural Department, was set up and as a result of its efforts, combined with generous treatment from mortgagees, settlers on the affected areas are now facing with far greater resolution the problem of revitalising their holdings and checking the reversion of pasture to secondary growth. Much Needed Finance By a readjustment of rents, many settlers were paid sums of money by the Department, on condition that the advances were used for improving the holdings. Grass seed, - fertilisers and fencing wire were supplied by the Department, and other work, such as bushfelling, was carried out to the Government’s satisfaction. In such a scheme of improvement, reading facilities play no mean part, but the problem which has faced the county councils has been the insuffici-

ency of the rates available from the deteriorated areas. The land was too poor to maintain a road. This was pointed out to the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. K. 8. Williams) by a deputation which waited on him in Wanganui in June last, and since then the matter has been capably handled by Mr H G. Dickie, the member for Paten. The Department has carried out investigations and now states that it is quite satisfied that the local authority has made an honest endeavour satisfactorily to maintain the roads, but the funds at the disposal of the council have been insufficient. Kauarapaoa and Ahu Ahu Roads The Minister, in a letter to Mr Dickie, points out that last year he agreed to a free grant of £125 for the purpose of assisting the Waitotara County Council with maintenance, and at the same time he approved of an amount of £3OO (£2 for £1) for the Ahu Ahu road being authorised on a free basis for the purpose of enabling the council to utilise its quota of £l5O on maintenance work. These improvements had made it possible for the local body to carry out additional work last year, but it seemed that additional assistance would have to be granted, and after giving the matter very careful consideration, he was of the opinion that the Government would be justified in assisting to the extent of a subsidy on a £2 for £1 basis on the amount of the rates actually expended by the local body on maintenance work in each ease. The Minister stated that he understood that the rates available amounted to approximately £l4B on the Kauarapaoa road and £122 on the Ahu Ahu road, and in the event of these amounts plus Government subsidies on a £2 for £1 basis being available, it would be sufficient to keep the roads in a satisfactory state of repair. The Minister concluded by informing Mr Dickie that the assistance as indicated would be approved until such time ag the council was, in the opinion of the Department, in a position to accept the whole responsibility.

The assistance of the Government in this respect is greatly appreciated by the Council, while the provision of good roads for the settlers greatly improves their chance of making the deteriorated lands productive.