TELEGRAMS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LVI, Issue LVI, 11 June 1909, Page 5

TELEGRAMS.

[BY ELECTRIC TELUGBAPH. — COPYRIGHT.] "NO LAND TO GO ON." RETIRED CIVIL SERVANTS AND THE UNEMPLOYED. £rEBSS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, June 8. The question of the unsatisfied earth hunger in .the Dominion was referred to by several speakers in the course of Tuesday evening's debate. Mr T., E. Taylor made the first reference to the matter by stating that there were men tramping from one end of the colony to the other, vainly seeking for a piece of land whereon to earn their livelihood. Mr Lang also declared that, owing to th© scarcity of land, the best men in the Dominion were leaving it.

Mr Wrigjit, the new member for Wellington South, also made some pertinent remarks on th© subject, in reply to the interjection, "Put them on the la-ad," "Put them on the land!" he exclaimed: "There is no land for them, and they are going to Queensland, because they cannot get land. A lot of men are tramping about from place ts place, and getting ballotted out every time they try to get a piece of land."

The large army of landless people, and would-be industrious settlers, it is further stated, is being largely added to by the numerous members of the Civil Service who are being deprived of their present means of employment through the Government's retrenchment scheme, Sir Joseph Ward, i» the course of his speech, stated) that it was intended to set apart certain areas of land ' in both Islands for settlement by retired civil servants, who will receive a superannuation allowance of less than £75 a year. In regard to this' last statement, the Minister for Labor stated that a considerable area of the laad referred to consists of several blocks in the Auckland portion of Ehe Kins Country, totalling 200,000 acres, which have been acquired by the Government from the natives during; the past year. The land has yet to be surveyed before- it is made available for selection. Ex-civil gprvants, and others in .want of emI ployment, he said, would be given an i opportunity of taking up sections of I this land.