SETTLEMENT ON LAND

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26211, 7 September 1950, Page 3

SETTLEMENT ON LAND

“REHABILITATION STILL A LIVE ISSUE” (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 6. - good deal had- been done in land settlement, but 3924 A grade farmers were stil! awaiting rehabilitation, said the Minister of Rehabilitation (Mr T L. Macdonald) when he spoke in the Budget debate m the House of Representatives this evening. It was contemplated settling men who were willing “to give it a go” on partly developed land, but that scheme would be restricted to those who were approved. Some had the knack of bringing land into production and it was right that they should be given a chance so that land settlement could be speeded up. There had alreadv been 14.617 farmers graded. A total of 1730 had withdrawn their applications, leaving a total of 12.887 farmers. Some hundreds were still undergoing farm training, and it appeared that the target figure could be set “round the 12,000 mark.” but behind those who were not vet declared as immediately eligible for farming were many young farmers land ha ° ° een b ° rn and bred on the . “Rehabilitation is still a very live issue,” said the Minister.