LAND SETTLEMENT

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 151, 30 June 1928, Page 8

LAND SETTLEMENT

EXACT INFORMATION APPEAL TO GOVERNMENT MINISTER AND CRITICS An appeal to the Minister of Lands to put before the country the exact position in regard to land settlement was made by the Leader of the National Party (Mr. G. W. Forbes) in the House of Eepresentatives yesterday. Mr. .Forbes said there was no doubt that jit was a question whether land settlement 'was holding its own. If there was a more vigorous settlement policy . there would be less unemployment. When quotations were made from official statistics as to the position in the country districts the Minister of Lands replied that they were "bosh." The proper thing to do was for . thp Minister to give' the country the figures if ho had them. What was the use of the Minister saying they were "bosh"? The, Hon. A. D. M'Leod (Minister of Lands): "How do you account for the 8000 females?" Mr. Forbes: "I am sure I did not mention anything about 8000 females. I'd leave that to the Minister^ ' (Laughter.) I want to know what the figures are in regard to land settlement. When the figures from official records are used the Minister says they are ' bosh.'" i The Minister: "Those arc not the figures of the number of people who have left the land." Mr. Forbes maintained that the true position had'not been made clear. It was necessary that this should be done and that a vigorous land settlement policy should be prosecuted. CHANGES OF GROUND. The Minister of Lands said that those who had been making charges against the Government, and his Department in particular, in regard to the diminishing number of rural settlers had changed their ground so often that he found it difficult to know where he' stood. First, it was stated that 20,000 settlers had left the land, then that ; 13,000 settlers bad, left, and finally that 13,000 workers had gone into ,the towns. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr, H. E. Holland): "I have never made that statement." Tho Minister: "Well, I will accept that statement, but those associated with the hon. gentleman have made it. Ho will remember the controversy with Mr. Semple, who, by the way, has hopes of becoming a member of this House." Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Chmtchurch East): "That's a certainty." (Laughter.) " , ' Mr. M'Leod said that those who had criticised the Government had quoted figures from tho Year Book without bothering to read the covering remarks by tho Government Statistician. Ho had no hesitation in 'saying that tho number of workers who were' actively associated with the primary.industries of the country had only been very slightly reduced. Mr. H. E. Holland: "Didn't you just recently deplore the tremendous drift from the country to the towns?" The Minister: "I have stated that it is to be regretted that the growth ?f the rural population has not kept pace with the growth of the cities. No set of figures can be quoted showing that the rural population has decreased in this country. It has only decreased in ratio." . ' Dealing with female workers, the Minister stated that the Government Statistician had pointed out hpw diffi- j cult it was to secure definite infornia-J tion as to the number who were, employed. To a very large extent the only female workers regularly employed on ,the farms were the wives and daughtrs. of the settlers, aud the majority of those would come under the heading of domestic duties. It was all nonsense to say that .there had been a loss to the country of 8000 female rural workers. - . ■'••.'.■' Mr. M. J. Savage (Auckland West): "Aren't they a loss to the country?" The Minister: "They are still in the country districts, as much as ever they were. I know that during the war and immediately after it many of the females on tho farms had to go out and do the work, but the introduction of hydro-electric power and up-to-dato milking machines has reduced the number of female workers. How many farmers employ female labour outside their own families? I will set my knowledge of farm conditions in New Zealand against tiiat. of any member in this House, and I have no hesitation in saying that the number of female workers employed is infinitesimal." OCCUPIED AREAS. Passing on to the question of occupied areas, the Minister said that the Government Statistician, had pointed out the danger of quoting figures dealing with this matter over a period of years. It was easy for members to get up and say that the Government had failed in its duty in regard to settling the land, but it was also easy to Tefute such statements. It was not his intention to go into details at that time, as another opportunity would'present itself during the session. The Leader of the Opposition: "What about the failure of the Government to keep its promises to deal with land aggregation?" . • . ■'■ The Minister: "That is another statement that can just as easily be disputed. I am not going into details to-night, but I have in my possession figures showing the growth of the holdings in New Zealand since 1869, and, these figures agree very closely with the official figures which are published in the Year Book." . Mr. W. J. Jordan (Manukau): "Have you got a solution for the unemployed problem ?" The Minister said it was all very well to introduce another topic. Ho could say, however, that it was not the Government's policy in regard to settling the land that had been responsible for it. ■__