PUBLIC WORKS AND LAND SETTLEMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 2, 2 July 1926, Page 6

PUBLIC WORKS AND LAND SETTLEMENT

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—'ln the old days under Sedd'on op-: portunity was given to employees on Public Works jobs to get hold of a piece ofland where they could invest their say-1 ings and thus provide a home for them-, selves, and' eventually emancipate them-! selves from the labour market. The auth-! orities should endeavour to allow similar opportunities to those engaged on Public Works to-day. ''".''.'- ■ Take the construction of the deviation1 at Palmerston North. It is desirable that: some of the money "spent on this work1 be; reinvested in the district, and so add to the primary production of the country.! We hear much of the profit to be gained' in planting flax as a farm crop. Between Palmerston and Levin is thejarg-! est area of New Zealand flax (Phormium; Terax) on the face of the earth. Nature; has chosen this area as the cradle of'the! flax industry. It has been proven profitable to plant flax in St. Helena; areas; are now being planted in Jifatal; planting' is projected in the Waikato, and in (jther, parts of New Zealand. Here is an'oppor-; tunity to set going an industry that bids, fair to eclipse dairying as a moneymaker.; A scheme might be run on the -follow-; ing lines:—Set up a Settlement Board re-: presenting the farmers, flax millers, and industrial workers of the district. The, land owners in the area to submit to .the; board their own valuations of their properties. The board to have power to resume at owner's valuation any areas they consider under-valued. The ""purchase money to be raised by loan secured .By! taxation on the whole area, the land own-: ers' valuations being used as a_ basis for; taxation. Suitable areas of this land.,to be sold on easy terms to men employed on; the deviation, who would be financed in ■ planting their areas in flax. While the: crop is maturing they would be given work; on railway construction. • . ■ ■ ■■■< > ■ Promoters of flax-growing companies! can demonstrate that this form of farming is far more profitable than dairying, it having been estimated that 50 .acres! would support a family in comfort. Measures providing relief work each, winter are only palliatives after all. What is required is to get' this available labour force at work on some work that will be permanently productive. Wiser heads than mine can now be left to push this matter to a successful conclusion.—l am,: CtC' 7 WAHAO. : 29th June. :