OFFER DENIED

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21729, 11 March 1936, Page 15

OFFER DENIED

Lord Nuffield And Land Settlement A "FANTASTIC STORY" (UOTTEP PH»B» IiBOCUTIO»—OOPTaifIBT.} SYDNEY, March 10. Lord Nuffield, who arrived by the Monowai, denied that there was any truth in the "fantastic story," broadcast during the voyage of the Mono* wai, that he was prepared to advance £1,000,000 toward a land settlement scheme in New Zealand or Australia. AMOUNT NOT MENTIONED SIR ALFRED RANSOM'S STATEMENT INSPECTION OF NORTH ISLAND SCHEMES WELLINGTON, March 10. interviewed by telephone at his home at Dannevirke, Sir Alfred Ransom said that it was no use Lord Nuffield saying that the land settlement tiroDOsal was a "fantastic story, bir Alfred said Lord Nuffield did not mention £1,000,000, but that was the figure mentioned by Sir Thomas Wilford when he visited New .Zealand before Lord Nuffield's visit Sir Thomas Wilford said £1,000,000 was the figure Lord Nuffield had said he was prepared to consider," said Sir Alfred.. "Lord Nuffield never mentioned any amount to me, but Sir Thomas Wilford did, and he said it was through a conversation he had with Lord Nuffield in England, and that was confirmed by Mr C. J. B. Norwood." Sir Alfred Ransom .emphasised that it was useless for Lord Nuffield to describe the matter as a "fantastic story," because when Lord Nuffield was in, New Zealand he was taken on a visit of inspection to the land settlement schemes in the North Island by the Government. "When I discussed the matter with Lord Nuffield it was in his mind to settle English people," said Sir Alfred. "I suggested- a settlement of New Zealanders, but he said that was not acceptable because he had made his money in England. I then suggested that the settlement should be carried out oh a fifty-fifty basis, and he said he would consider it. If it was a fantastic story,' why should I have wasted my time in showing him the development of the lands in the North Island when he was not interested in them Perhaps I was foolish in mentioning it, but I kept my mouth shut for 12 months." §CHEME BEFINITELY ABANDONED BRITISH SETTLEMENT PROPOSED | WELLINGTON, March 10. j In an interview Mr C. J. B. Norwood, whose close association with Lord Nuffield during his English 'visit and Lord Nuffield's visit to New Zealand enables him to speak with authority, stated that as the nature of the publicity of Lord Nuffield's proposal to create a British settlement in New Zealand was calculated to put a wrong construction on Lord Nuffield's intentions, he thought it only right to state that on his last visit to England Lord Nuffield discussed with him the possibilities of creating a British settlement within New Zealand to help relieve the grave difficulties existing in England. Mr Norwood said he interviewed Sir Thomas Wilford (then High Commissioner) at Lord Nuffield's request, and was finally asked to maintain the greatest possible confidence, making such enquiries as would be helpful when Lord Nuffield paid a visit to New Zealand. Mr Norwood said the impression he received was that the atmosphere in New Zealand was unsatisfactory for a purely British settlement at that time. The matter was definitely abandoned immediately after Lord Nuffield's arrival in New Zealand. He did not understand that Lord Nuffield's visit to the Galatea estate as a guest of the Government had any specific purpose other than the fact of his being a great industrial visitor from overseas.