AUCKLAND’S FPTURE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2107, 15 June 1907, Page 1

AUCKLAND’S FPTURE.

UNDEVELOPED LANDS. Press Association. AUCKLAND, yesterday. A Taranaki man, Air. Alfred Atkinson, son of Sir Harry Atkinson, Ims latterly been touring Auckland province to find (iiit'“what sort ol a piace Auckland really is.” lie went down along the East Coast, through the Thames valley and Piuko swamps, ail over the Waikato, along the main tie.nk route, traversed the northern Wairoa, and got, flit on to .the East Coast of the north ol Auckland. He says t-liat practically-the whole of tli< great Whakatane swamp lands, from 50,0UU to 70.000 acres, could be 111 ought into rich and profitable hearing if the Govonißieut or some private corporation installed a propel sysUfm of drainage, and land npw bought for a song would run up in value to £2O all acre. That land winnot only equal to, hut better than, the best Taranaki laud, for the reason that Auckland land “had the pull” in tho matter of climate. Then Auckland had a superb source of wealth lying idle in its great- owainps in tlu growing. of (lax. “Why,” said Afr. Atkinson, “you only want your East Cc ast and your North Piulco swam] lands drained to produce magnificent naps of flax. It made one sick.” continued Air. Atkinson, “to see the SJ K tidid roads in the South Island and fine public buildings in almost every hamlet, there, anil then to find up here settlers struggling against such awful hardships. A mile or stout from the principal townships ii: winter seems to be the limit of decent roads in Auckland and other parts of the North Island, and beyond that one goes, up to the neclc in mud What hope have tile back country settlors of engaging in profitable industries, such as flax cultivation or dairying, when they have no loads at all? A peculiar idea held in the South and also throughout Auckland,” he said, “ was til.A bush land growing kauri was worthless afterwards. That was quite a fallacy. The kauri bush land was greatly underrated, and thousands of acres of what could he made splendid country could be bought up at a low price. The people at present, he thought, were entirely in the dark with regard to the value of the gum lands.” Asked if he considered any of the Auckland land prices were inflated values Afr. Atkinson would not say the. land values were inflated, although he would not buy some of the £lB to £2O nu acre Waikato land, but even at that- price lie did not. consider the values more inflated than Taranaki land at £3O to £lO per acre. When the Native lands were opened up Auckland bad nothing to stop it on its wonderful march of progress.