FIRST THINGS FIRST'.

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17711, 15 May 1929, Page 6

FIRST THINGS FIRST'.

“Instead of opening areas for settlement where there are no roads or railways, it is recommended that there be more intensive use of land already in use near existing railways and roads," slates the report of the British Economic Mission on Australia. A declaration in favour of this principle was made by New Zealand)s Minister of Lands, Hon. G- W. Forbes, on his visit to the Waikato last week. He was speaking particularly in reference to the ownerless lands at Pirongia that have long lain waste. But there are lands all over New Zealand within easy access that would yield a good return from more intensive culture. We have the great areas of swamp land around Hamilton. Their development must necessarily be gradual, as it takes yiars for the land to consolidate so as to form first-class pastures- But it should bo possible under a wise scheme of development to find a place for a gradually increasing number of settlers and workers. An even larger field for development lies in the many halfdeveloped farms. Many settlers arc struggling to live on tho product of a few acres while they break in other parts of their holdings, but some arc badly hampered by having to pay the charges on heavy debts, while they lack the capital and labour needed for development work. Sometimes the farms arc actually allowed to deteriorate, though with proper treatment they could produce an increasing yield. It is easy to sec what should be done on broad principles. But difficulties have to be overcome. Sometimes the land has been bought at too high a price and the burden of debt is more than it can hear. The Government finds it difficult to help except by advances against adequate security. It is in such cases that valuable work could be done by the advisory committees which members of Die Waikato Land Development Association have suggested should he set up with Government authority.