GROUP SETTLEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 229, 27 September 1930, Page 9

GROUP SETTLEMENT.

LAND LEAGUE'S. SCHEME.

government inaction

PRESIDENT SURPRISED,

The New Zealand Land Settlement League decided yesterday to send a telegram to the Government urging that it consider immediately the group settlement proposals submitted to it by the league. The president, Mr. W. J. Holds worth, said the league had undertaken to demonstrate the possibilities of group settlement. The difficulty was to make the Government branch out as it had never done before. The league had four times as many applicants as there were sections in the 2000-acre block which it was proposed to open up in North Auckland. The Minister of Lands had stated he was interested in the scheme, but up to the present no reply had been received. It was surprising, in view of the number of inquiries received, the willingness of people to go on the land, that nothing had been done. Mr. Holdsworth said the executive had met the Auckland members of Par-1 .liament, and s they had agreed that land settlement was one outside of party politics. As soon as they arrived in Wellington, however, they seemed to forget all about it. It appeared that the Government or the Departmental heads were afraid of the league accomplishing something which the Government had said would be impossible. The suggestion that use should be made of a, portion of the unemployment relief fund, lihat would accrue from the 30/ tax was again considered by the league. The idea was said to be to use a proportion of the fund for tho provision of the interest on a larger sum for the assistance of people going on the land. Decision was deferred.