LAND RECLAMATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 31 October 1928, Page 2

LAND RECLAMATION.

ITALY’S BIG SCHEME. OYER FIVE MILLION ACRES. At a recent Council of Ministers a decision was taken which may truly be said to mark a stage in Mediterranean civilisation, for it is designed to estabish a higher standard of living for the rural' population of large sections, of Italy. it was then announced that the Government would introduce a Bill in the autumn for “integral land reclamation.”. The announcement explains that development of land drainage works in Italy has been due to the need of increasing agricultural - production to meet the requirements of a growing population. But to secure further progress, the existing laws must be amended so as to make it possible to place the rural population, now often crowded m large agglomerations, on the land. The new Bill /provides a land reclamation planning scheme, extended to the whole national territory. It' will enable the ministries concerned to undertake works extending over a period of 14 years, the total cost of which is estimated at 7,500,000,000 lire, including drainage, irrigation, the provision of drinking water supplies to the reclaimed zones and in other country districts, the tmilding of farm roads, the laying of electric power lines for agricultural purposes, and the erection of. villages.

The area to be dealt with Covers some 5,000,000 acres, most of which is in the south and in the islands. The treasury will contribute 60 per' cent, of the cost, the respective provinces 12.50 per cent., the remainder being met by the landowners. Toward the cost of erecting villages and building aqueducts the treasury contributes 25 per cent. The total Government contribution to the, work, spread over a period of 30 years, is estimated at 3,800,000,000 lire. While the importance of draining the land has long been recognised, irrigation has been largely, neglected. Its need is urgently felt, more especially in southern Italy and the islands. Attention was drawn to this fact by Signor Mussolini last year, since when a number of associations have been formed with this end in' view: From all parts of the countiv applications have' been coming in to the Ministry of Public Works for subsidies for this purpose, and the insufficiency of the means available under existing laws had become evident. Meantime, the interministerial .committee for land improvements lias approved; plans for the reclamation of 775,000 acres.