VERY ROSY PICTURE

Evening Star, Issue 21218, 27 September 1932, Page 6

VERY ROSY PICTURE

ALLEGED AMERICAN INTERVIEW WITH MR COATES LABOUR INQUIRY IN HOUSE [From Ooa Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, September 27. An inquiry about an interview alleged to have been given to the San Francisco ‘ Chronicle ’ by Mr Coates was addressed to Mr Forbes in the House this afternoon. Mr Semple gave notice to Mr Forbes, if he would take the necessary steps to supply the paper in question with correct information regarding unemployment and land settlement in New Zealand, in order to avoid a possible influx of immigrants from that country. Mr Semple said extracts from the interview read as follow:—“ New Zealand is singing a song of ‘ Back to the land ’ with so alluring an accompaniment—the clink of cash—that thousands of city-bred folk are turning ‘ tillers of soil.’ Twenty thousand single men and 5,000 heads of families have turned farmers under the persuasiveness of 1,200d0l from the Government and a tract of land rent free for five years, with the privilege of leasing it at the end of that time. To make city folk contented ‘ down on the farm ’ they are provided with houses with all modern conveniences, and are taken to the pictures twice a week. The plan is putting a deep dint into the depression, Mr Coates says, besides taking pressure off the cities in caring for their needy.”