SETTLEMENT OF LAND.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19544, 14 February 1929, Page 10

SETTLEMENT OF LAND.

SUITABLE AREAS WANTED.

GOVERNMENT willing to buy.

fPRIBB AfitOCUTIOV TTy J

DANNEVIRKE, February 13,

Speaking at Dannevirke to-day, in reply to a deputation urging Government action in promoting closer settlement near Dannevirke, the Hon. Mr Forbes, Minister for Lands, said:

"The question i s a very one so far as the town and cities are concerned, for the whole of our prosperity is built up on the success of the primary industries, and if thev are not extended in accordance with the growth of the towns, we will get a top heavy structure, which is what has happened lately. We have built up a superstructure that has got out of proportion to the base. We must recognise that if this country is going to progress we must have more settlement on the land. There is no other solution to our unemployment problem than increasing the number of people on the land and increasing production. "I am taking the opportunity of visiting different part# of the country to discuss with people nn spot their problems, because the problems of one district are different from those of another. One has only to travel to know that there is a considerable amount of land that is capable of improvement and of settlement. One is struck by what can be done in the Auckland district. There are enormous tracts of land there that want developing. With the increased knowledge of what caa be done with fertilisers, it ia now a question of dealing with that undeveloped land. I have eeen what can be done with top dressing. In the country there is undoubtedly more room for population.

"I believe that one of the great faulte in New Zealand to-day is that peoflc have too much land, not too little, and I believe our troubles and weaknesses are due to that. We have come to see that where we have areas of land that can be cut up into smaller sized farms of reasonable size, better results are being obtained. I have been farming for 36 years, and I admit that to-day lam beginning to learn something new about farming through the work of the Department of Agriculture. As a practical farmer I can sea many farms that are not pulling their weight. I am certain that the country can carry two to three times a# many people on its farm lands if they are properly used.

"There is no doubt that in regard to closer settlement we have got to tackle the problem and deal with it as expeditioualy as we can. At the present tine the Government is looking for good land because we are out for cloaor settlement. We are no* going to buy big sheep farms and cut them up into smaller sheep farms. Dairying will give the best results. What I am aiming at in regard to settlement is to increase the number of men on the land, and along with that, to increase production. You can do that by cutting up land that has been earryiug sheep and putting dairy farms on it. II you were to put sheep farms on it you wouldn't get the same result. That is the class of land we are out to rattle and any property yon may know of where the owners are willing to submit it to the Government, should be put before the Land Purchase Board. I have told them that it is the desire of the Government to go on with settlement as expeditiously as we can." The Government, he said, did not want to «pply harsh measures in getting land. If a man wanted to hang on to a big area then the time had come for the Government to tackle the matter. The towns were full of unemployed. He believed that it was better in such eases for the Government to give, under conditions of amicable bargaining, a little more than the market value of the lapd than have to take it under the compulsory clause of the Act. The Government would endeavour to do its best along the lines of friendly co-operation, but if the necessity arose it wonld bare to take other means.