PROBLEMS OF THE LAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 22, 26 January 1929, Page 8

PROBLEMS OF THE LAND.

MORE AID FOR THE FARMER.

(To the Editor.)

Your leading article headed "Our Laud Problem" in your issue of January 22 Jβ « most interesting article—short and decisive. It is one which should make every citixsn of New Zealand pause and think. It'is one that should inspire every member of Parliament, independent of party feeling, to see the necessity of straining every nerve to bring about the settlement of the land. It i* through the cultivation of the land that at present the whole of the wealth and prosperity of the Dominion is maintained. It should be the , boast of the present Government that not one single member of the farming community should be obliged to leave his farm, and, furthermore, every encouragement should be given to drive people on to the land, not eft it. If such a strong policy is maintained have no fear for the future of New Zealand whether in the country districts or cities. The land cannot be brought under cultivation without the aid of capital. Parliament would be well advised to inaugurate a scheme whereby those who have money to lend should lend it to U* fanners, and farmers only, and this could be best accomplished by Parliament guaranteeing all moneys lent to farmers, only on their approved valuation, at as low a rate of interest as possible, say, 4* to 4} per cent, with oar per cent added for sinking fund* This wool! apply only to the farming community. At the present too much money is invested in the cities, which cannot draw or produce wealth like the farming community, whose sales for products are effected abroad*and whose market. is unlimited, provided the quality is right; the price will be governed, as it is, by the demand. If proper attention were paid to rural lands, instead of the trade showing & small export of about fifty millions it would soon doable that. Sixteen years ago our export trad* amounted to twenty-one millions, and to-day is little more than doubled. Against that we have to take into consideration the inflated prices, which would reduce the present export trade to about thirty-two millions if price* were estimated on pre-war prices. The turn* over is far too small and shows at once 4b» agricultural side has been neglected, notwithstanding that during that period we have borrowed huge sums, totally about seveatr millions. No ordinary business could exist showing such little progress. All unemployed should, be concentrated on a scheme* to brief more land under cultivation, either by farming or forestry pursuits, or whatever measures that would make productive the millions of acres that now lie idle. * . WALTER F. DABBY,