WESTRALIA’S SETTLEMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 August 1928, Page 10

WESTRALIA’S SETTLEMENT

BIG MIGRATION PLANS

(Special to “Star.”)

AUCKLAND, August 14.

After conferring with the British Government concerning a settlement scheme for Western Australia, involving 8,000,000 acres and £4,500,000, Hon. Alexander McCallum, Minister of Public Works, in the West Australian Government is returning to the Commonwealth, by the Niagara. “The scheme was viewed very favourably by the British authorities and I have every confidence it will be accepted by them,” said Mr. McCallum. ‘‘The' whole crux of the question is this. We have the land with unlimited possibilities, and Great Britain has the people. Our State with a population of only 400,000 is unable to finance a large immigration scheme, and the object of my visit to Britain was to secure financial support. If the scheme was adopted it was proposed to provide 1000 acre blocks at an average cost of from 12/- to 15/- an acre, the purchasers being given 30 years to pay; The cost of such a scheme can be well appreciated, when it is stated that 400 miles of railway, and 6000 miles of roads will have to be constructed in addition to schools, churches and post offices. I -have the greatest ‘confidence in the future of the State. We have the. largest tracts of undeveloped country in the world, with what I consider the greatest possibilities.” Discussing the type of settlers that he considered would make good, Mr. McCallum said he favoured miners. There were 300,000 of them unemployed in Great Britain, and he thought they would quickly adapt themselves to the new conditions. They were ’steady, hardy and thrifty.