TOO MANY MEMBERS?

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 33, 8 February 1930, Page 12

TOO MANY MEMBERS?

GOVERNMENT CRITICISED. LAND SETTLEMENT MEEDS. WASTE OF PUBLIC MONEY. Governmental methods in developing and settling land came in for strong criticism at a meeting of the executive . of the New Zealand Land Settlement and Development League, held in Auckland j yesterday. Mr. A. A. Ross, vice-president of the 1 league, who presided, said one of their objects was to keep pressing upon the ■ Government the necessity for doing ; something in the way of developing the j unsettled lands of the Dominion. The > present Government had not done much i in that direction, despite the Prime Minister's recent statement that 50,000 [ more people were needed on the land. There were a large number of unem- . ployed men, and instead of selecting from t these a number of suitable men and ' placing them on the land the Government was placing them on public works. The main trouble facing the country was the rising tide of costs, which in the ' case of farmers tended to overshadow ! their whole income. By spending public ' money on unsuitable relief works the ' Government was bound to add further to costs, as the interest on the unproductive loan moneys had to be met. "Sledge-Hammer" Needed. Mr. N. G. Gribble, secretary of the league, said the Prime Minister realised it was essential to have 50,000 more men on the land, but the Minister of Lands expressed satisfaction at the cautious policy of the Department. Personally he thought the community had accepted for ' too long the opinion of the Minister. "Our work is to mould public opinion," said Mr. Gribble, "so that people have an idea what our natural resources are. But that is not enough. It does not seem to be sufficient to go ahead and insinuate our views; the time has come when we should drive them home with a sledgehammer." Mr. Gribble stated that it might become nccessary to give private enterprise a chance to settle men on the land, as the trend of legislation did not promise any progress. If the Prime Minister or the Minister of Lands thought lie had done 10 per cent of what was required of him he (Mr. Gribble) differed. had done anything to end the present trouble. "Clean Sweep" Needed. "It would almost appear that we need practically a clean sweep in the House," said Mr. Glover-Clark. "There, are men of vision and ability on all sides who recognise the necessity of what the league is striving for, but while the members squabble the Minister of Lands is spending up to £55 an acre on settling a few people on the land, whereas what has already been spent would break in and develop large areas of Crown lands not at present settled." Mr. Glover-Clark urged members to spread their views and to reach more of the public by further propaganda and by establishing branches of the league all over the country. "The* Prime Minister has stated that the Government should place 50,000 men on the land," said Mr. Jenkins. "What has it done? lias it placed 10,000 men during the past year? I do not think that it has placed 1000. At that rate it will take 50 years to finish. .We will have to go out and do something further to make the Government wake up. The reason that there is too much talk in thooHouse is that there are too many members. I suggest that the league should send out to the public a proposal to have only 50 members. I believe that the public would support you, because they would realise that you possessed vision and meant business. You would do the greatest service to the country you have ever done."