ROTORUA-TAUPO RAILWAY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 235, 3 October 1929, Page 12

ROTORUA-TAUPO RAILWAY

VALUE OF PUMICE LAND MR COCKAYNE’S OPINIONS [ Per Press Association ] WELLINGTON, Oct. 2. Further evidence was heard by the M to Z Committee of the House today with respect to Mr Vaile’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. Ho said it varied considerably 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 of acres” that had been loosely spoken of. “I would not mind,” he said, “having a go at breaking in pumice land if I wore not a Government officer. The Government has to pay full wages for all work done and I doubt if any waste lands in New Zealand which have been brought into production have paid wages to the pioneers who have worked them for many years. If in a Government settlement scheine one could secure pioneering determination, it could be Tnftde successful.” At this stage the committee adjourned until to-morrow.