NATIVE LAND SETTLEMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 28, 30 December 1932, Page 8

NATIVE LAND SETTLEMENT.

SCHEME NEAR FOXTON. BIG AREA NOW UNDER CULTIVATION.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) FOXTON, Dec. 28.

As a result of the application of Sir Apirana Ngata’s native land settlement scheme to a large area of land at Matakarapa, across the river from Foxton, some 200 odd acres of particularly fertile soil hitherto covered with swamp, cabbage trees and tussock are now under cultivation, and when the balance of tho clearing of the area involved is completed next year the whole will be ’subdivided into dairy farms which will be worked by the native owners of the land. Matakarapa comprises in all 280 acres, most of which prior to the commencement of the scheme, was subject to tidal influence as the Manawatu River surrounds practically the whole area, there being only a narrow isthmus at the southern end to connect it with the huge expanse of sand dune country which characterises the southern coast. Two hundred acres have now been cleared, ploughed, and sown with grass and crops. The scheme provides that fencing,’’dairying materials, stock, etc., will be provided by the Native Lands Purposes Board to the owners to be repaid when the land is productive, wages for clearing the land being also provided by the board at the rate of 7s per day. Only Maori labour is used or.- such schemes, and that preferably provided by the owners of the land. The work is supervised by departmental officers, and in this instance Mr Flowers, of Wellington, is directly responsible to the department, while Mr H. MacMillan, of Levin, is undertaking the general supervision and instruction of the Maori farmers. At the invitation of Mr MacMillan a “Standard” representative mode ail inspection of the area in company with Mr J. K. Hornblow, president of the Foxton Chamber of Commerce, at the instigation of which body tho matter was first taken up. The change already effected in the landscape at Matakarapa is little short of marvellous. The scheme has been in operation scarcely a year, and already tho greater portion of the land is cleared, ploughed, and sown. Hawke’s Bay rye grass has been used extensively, and, despite the fact that it was sown as late as October and since bad experienced a particularly dry spell, a good strike has resulted. Potato crops are fvell advanced, while a sowing of turnips promises an abundant crop. The Maoris have gone in for corn and melon patches around their habitations, and these also look well, and there appears little doubt that the area can be converted into some of the best farming land in the Dominion. In character, tho soil is similar to that of the Moutoa. Mr MacMillan stated that approximately 106 Maori owners were concerned in the ownership of the land, resident at both Matakarapa and Otaki, but there would be only about fifty who would bo actively connected with the farming of the area when the breaking-in work was completed. Natives from Otaki and Matakarnpa had been employed on this work. The first, job undertaken was the banking of the area. A flood-bank had been thrown up right around tho low-lying portion for a distance of two miles in which had been constructed ’ three floodgates. As evidence of the efficacy of these it was now possible to walk over the whole area dryshod, and where previously there was swamp land, ryegrass was now showing good growth. The bank wns given a test during the last, flood as the river rose to within six inches of the top. Since then the bank had been raised 18in. Some forty head of stock, picked heifers, had already been purchased and are grazing in the paddocks. Mr MacMillan said that thirty more would be purchased at an early date, and next season the herd would bo milked at one shed on the farm. This would serve as a training ground for those who would be made immediately responsible for the cultivation and care of the various subdivisions which would be effected the following year. Representatives from the various families concerned would be soleeted and under can 1 able supervision would carry out tho work of the farm next season under a community system which should provide them with sufficient training to undertake the care of their respective allotments the following season. Mr MacMillan stated that tho break-ing-in had cost tho department approximately £8 an acre to date, but the most of it was now done., The greatest problem they had been faced with was the goise and this had all been grubbed.