LAND SETTLEMENT

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 54, Issue 32623, 19 September 1945, Page 5

LAND SETTLEMENT

VALUE OF AFFORESTATION REHABILITATION WORK ADDRESS BY MR SUTHERLAND Criticising land settlement, in his Budget speech in the House of Representatives, Mr A. S. Sutherland, M.P. for Hauraki, said the Government was simply buying from one settler and putting another settler in. That was not '.sufficient, and often it, did not increase production; and all knew that I with the world shortage of food, increas. d production was needed. Housing was difficulty No. 1. “This is the spectacle we have, in our district; the Government has plenty of land well grassed and ready for settlement—it has ’been good buying —but there are no homes on the land. Why, recently the Department had to sell 500 magnificent springing heifers because there were no buildings on the laud to house the settlers. Homes and sheds should have been built on those sections, and a lot of unessential building cut out. .Reafforestation Work “As to reafforestation in relation to rehabilitation', the catchment boards that, have been set up will dovetail in with rehabilitation and reafforestation. I hope the Minister is taking measures to get this work scheme well under way. Re-afforestation and work in nurseries is congenial work, and this would be a means of finding a good deal of work for ex-servicemen.’ I see by the Estimates that the State Forest Department, is to have £270,000 this year, and that is an increase of approximately £70,000 over last year. I do not think . that is enough. Last year, £213,000 was voted, ami a little over £200,000 spent. “I notice from the Estimates that in addition, there was an item ‘land leased or occupied by natives, £3000.’ That is again on the Estimates for this year. That is for the establishment of nursery and instructional gardens for Maoris. When I speak about, rehabilitation, I include the Maoris in all my remarks. Given good tuition, the Maoris can become good farmers, and I hope that the full £3OOO will be spent on nursery and instructional garden work. Last year only £l2 was expended', and that was not enough.” Would Find Useful Work Air Sutherland said many exservicemen would find useful work in afforestation. Though much had been done in New Zealand in planting exotic trees, the time had arrived when the country should go in for re-

generation of the native forests. lie had found that where native trees were fenced and protected, the growth was surprisingly rapid. It was a matter, that the State Forest Department should take up immediately and the matter could be worked in conjunction with the policy of reafforestation and rehabilitation. Mr Sutherland repeated that exservicemen who had served overseas should receive a concession in taxation, and that, class of man and women who had assisted in fighting the war and who had risked their lives should not be asked to. pay for the debts of the war when they come back. Further, ex-servicemen who had gone overseas

to ifight for freedom were entitled to the freeholds of their homes or farms. Mr Sutherland strongly advocated the Minister of Rehabilitation having a financial department of his own, and he said that the present position was that a returned serviceman might, get a loan through to a certain stage and then be held up. Some State departments always liked to get a safe mark ami they were not prepared to take a risk. The soldiers took risks with their lives and those at home should be prepared to take risks to help them now. At present there were too many bottlenecks in rehabilitation. Sales tax should be removed from all farm equipment, building materials and requisites needed to set soldiers up in life.