TO END DEPRESSION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 258, 31 October 1932, Page 5

TO END DEPRESSION.

SETTLING PEOPLE ON LAND. MR. BRYANT'S SCHEME. DISCUSSED BY ROTARIANS. No less than four speakers occupied the platform of the Auckland Rotary Club at to-day's lunch meeting, and supported the land settlement scheme which has been promulgated by Mr. D. Bryant, of Hamilton. 111 introducing Mr. Bryant, as a fellow Rotarian, the president. Rotarian T. U. Wells, complimented him upon his vision, and upon the pluck and energy with which he had pushed the project. So successful had he been that already a sum of £18,000 had been promised.

Rotarian Bryant stated that their District Governor, Rotarian Harry Vaklcr, had, after careful investigation, given £250 towards the scheme, and as he came into the room to-day two Auckland Rotaria;.s had each promised £100.

Referring to the origin of liis land settlement campaign, Rotarian Bryant said that the economic crisis had become so severe that as ordinary British subjects they must do something. He could see 110 avenue whereby the country could profitably use its surplus population except on the land. The present system of coping with unemployment was demoralising to the nation. Work for Tradesmen. With a plan Mr. Bryant illustrated the principles of his scheme. The first step, he said, was to buy a block of land, then to invite unemployed carpenters and other kindred tradesmen, who would still get the Government assistance they were entitled to, to erect necessary houses and other buildings. These men would be asked to work on a community basis for a start, and if they made good would be eligible to secure later 011 a free house and a section and some stock. The houses, as soon as completed, would be occupied by married men. Then the central camp, being vacant, would be made available for younger, single men, who would be employed to develop the estate. Here again they would still receive only Government relief money, but they would be taught agricultural and pastoral pursuits. In this way their future economic aspect would be vastly changed, and their moral improved as a consequence. The property would be improved, and would be made available to these new settlers on the basis of its productive value. To finance this scheme they hoped to raise £20,000, and also to issue debentures. From an expense point of view they could point out to prospective lenders that the administration by directors would be free, and the labour would be what was now practically waste labour. Payable Prices. Dr. Annett said that after a recent visit overseas to various parts of the world he had returned with the conclusion that there was no country, unless it was some parts of Australia, that had such possibilities for dairy farming as New Zealand. Incidentally lie pro tasted against a proposal to restrict the research dairy work now being carried out in this country. It was possible under a system of proper land development to produce butterfat to -jay at !">d to 10d per lb.' He agreed with Mr. Bryant that areas of about 50 acres were quite sufficient for dairy farming'. The successful operation of Mr. Bryant's scheme would have a beneficial effect upon the general attitude of the people towards farming as an avenue for capital investment.

Mr. William Goodfellow said he supported tlie scheme because it conformed to two important essetnials. The principles adopted were sound and the men instructed with its conduct were thoroughly competent. The scheme deserved support, inasmuch as it attacked the greatest problem of the day, unemployment. The drift of employment had in good years taken labour from the country to towns. Mr. Bryant's scheme would have tho effect of reversing that process. At Ottaw r a the New Zealand delegates had been forced to the conclusion that there was no chance of any agreements that would raise the prices of our products. Therefore, we were faced with the position that production had to be made to pay on present prices. "Thoroughly Sound." If the world debts problem ">vere settled next year European countries might be able to consume more of their own dairy produce, but as against that in the southern hemisphere's expansion was very marked. Australia had doubled its production lately. It was impossible for the Government to undertake such work as was proposed in Mr. Bryant's scheme. The proposals were thoroughly sound and merited support. Rotary's Support. District Governor Harry Valder, of Hamilton, said that he had favoured the scheme before he had been elected to his present office. This meant a consideration of Rotary's attitude, and he had come to the conclusion that it was Kotarv's duty to support the principles on which the scheme was based. Our economic crisis was not a breakdown of economic law. It was a man-made crisis. We had made it, and we could unmake it. Human values and property values were both dealt with in Mr. Bryant's scheme. He then asked that the club consider the scheme, and lie asked for moral and financial support from the members. oßtarian C. <T. Bennett, in moving the vote of thanks, urged that adoption of the scheme would go a long way in the restoration of individual confidence to all who were associated with it.