THE LANDLESS PROBLEM.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 147, 22 June 1906, Page 5

THE LANDLESS PROBLEM.

MR. HAGGARD'S COLONISATION SCHEME. AN ADVERSE REPORT. [PBESS ASSOCIATION.] {Reoeived Juno 22, 7.20 a.m.) LONDON, 21st June. Th& committee under . the presidency of Lord Tennyson has reported adversely on Mr Rider Haggard's suggested scheme of agricultural colonisation settlements, since no thoroughly successful effort has yet been made. The committee favours State aid to committees under tho Unemployed Workmen' i Act, or taking a grant for a period of five years to enable the Emigration Information Office to assist emigrants. Mr. Rider Haggard visited the United States last year at tho request of the British Government to inspect and report on the condition and character of the agricultural and industrial settlements established there by the Salvation Army. In his report -Mr. Haggard stated his " profound conviction " that the future welfare of Britain depended upon whether or not it was possible to retain or to settle upon the soil a "fair proportion of its inhabitants. Therefore one of the chief aims of . the Government should be to keep population upon the land; and to multiply the numbers of those modest rural homes. His suggestions for carrying out such a scheme may be summarised as follows : — (1) That the interest of a loan, or loans, of on amount to be fixed hereafter, should be guaranteed by the Imperial Government, or by the Imperial and certain colonial Governments jointly, if that is thought desirable and cambo arranged. (2) That the poor law authorities in the large cities of Great Britain should be approached in order to ascertain whether they would be prepared to make a per capita contribution for every selected family of which the burden was taken off the- local rates. (3) That a permanent officer should be appointed by tho Imperial Government, to be known as the Superintendent of Land 'Settlements referred to above. (4) That the Salvation Army, or any other well established and approved social, charitable, or religious organisation, should bo deputed to carry out the work of selecting, distributing, and organising the settlers on land colonies anywhere within the boundaries of the British Empire, who should remaiD in charge of such organisation until all liabilities were paid. (5) That no title to land should be given to any colonist until he had discharged these liabilities, on which he should pay 5 per cent, interest and 1 per cent, sinking fund, recoverable in an agreed period of years. . (6) That the possibility of establishing similar colonies in tho United Kingdom, should be carefully considered. (7) That if these suggestions are approved, a Bill, to be designated the National Land Settlements Act," embodying and giving life to them should be laid before Parliament. In order to consider the suggestions the Departmental Committee, whose report is cabled to-day, was appointed to advise the Government whether agricultural settlements in the British colonies could usefully be established with a view to placing in them emigrants from the great cities of the Unitea Kingdom. Any practical suggestion germane to tho general subject of emigration was also to bo dealt with.