SETTLEMENT SCHEME

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 132, 1 December 1937, Page 14

SETTLEMENT SCHEME

MINISTER'S POLICY OUTLINED

ISSUE OF LEASES

An outline of his policy regarding the settlement'of blocks under the smallfarms scheme was given today by the Minister of Lands (the Hon. F. Langstone).

Mr. Langstone said that there was evidently an impression abroad that the promises of the former Government would not be kept, in that the small farms settlers engaged on. development blocks would not get leases when the blocks are subdivided upon completion of the development work. "I have stated definitely on more than one occasion," said Mr. Langstone, "that where a promise had been made by the former Government in this respect it would be honoured, and that promise applies to the majority of the original small' farm blocks. . "The procedure is that when the development work is completed and the farms ready for occupation, the farm occupiers are selected and placed in cottages on probation. If they prove satisfactory as farmers, the properties and the stock are valued, and the charges to be paid in future are thus ascertained. At this period the settlers come off wages and are allowed a proportion of the cream cheques for living expenses. The whole of the- proceeds of the farm is paid into the Department, and- after allowing for charges—living expenses, top-dressing, etc.—-the balance is paid to the settlers' credit with the Department. If there are expenses beyond ordinary living expenses, such as medical, etc., these accounts are met from the credit held by the Department.

TEN YEARS' LEASE.

"At this sjtage, therefore, the settlers I are in all respects lessees except that the documents have not been issued. The reason for this," said Mr. Langstone, "is. that the only lease that can be issued under the existing legislation is a ten years' lease and the land must be freeholded within that period. Anyone knows that it is absolutely impossible for men to pay off the value of a farm, plus the stock, in ten years, consequently I do not propose to issue leases until such time as statutory authority can be obtained for the issue of a more suitable lease. The settlers, once they reach the stage of being recognised as settlers, are, however, no worse off. As I have said before all credits are paid to their respective accounts. It is also to the interests of the settlers that ,a suitable lease should be provided in lieu of the ten years' lease. The delay in the issue of leases might have been responsible for the impression that the promise regarding leases is not being kept. I can assure settlers that, any promise made by the Department or, the former Government will be carried out.

DEPARTMENT'S ACTIVITIES

"These remarks," continued Mr. Langstone, "apply to the original small farm blocks, but have no application to many of the blocks at present under development in the King Country and other blocks upon which operations are about to commence. Workmen on these •blocks are receiving the standard rate of pay and have been given no promise whatever of later receiving farms. Here the Department is operating on marginal or deteriorated lands, and it is absolutely essential that the areas, when grassed, should be properly controlled and stocked for a number _ of years. Close subdivision, fencing, manuring, and stock control are the main factors in controlling this class of land, and experience has shown that to put individual settlers on to these areas in the early stages after grassing is only looking for trouble, in that the second growth comes away again. The settlers have not the stock to control the areas at the time when such control is absolutely necessary, whereas the Department can, by shifting stock from block to block, as required, hold the areas, and such action, with proper top-dressing over a number of years, will do away with any danger of deterioration. It is, in my opinion, therefore, absolutely essential for the future successful settlement of this class of land that it should be farmed under strict and proper control until all chances of reversion have disappeared."