THE UNEMPLOYED.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10105, 2 August 1893, Page 2

THE UNEMPLOYED.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sib,—l will now, by your leave, point out what I believe to be a practicable scheme to deal with the above question. I have seen several schemes propounded in the papers, but they all seem to me to be conceived on too large a basis, proposing to give men of no capital more land than they know what to do with. For instance, one writer in your paper last week gravely stated that the Government must be prepared to settle the paopla on the land and keep them over the sscond year, till tbey garner their crops of wheat and oats. The thing is simply absurd. Experts with plenty of capital cannot make wheat and oats pay, so they must not be thought of in the first stage of relieving tho unemployed. The spado, not the plough, must he the first implement of agriculture. I take it, the object should be not to pauperise the people, but to help them to help themselves, and this 1 propose to do in the following manner. Select a large block of bush land of fair quality, in such a position that it can be connected with either a railway or navigable river; lay off a hundred-acre section in five and tenacre blocks; then reserve two hundred acres, and thea lay off another hundred acres the same as the first. Then select a number of the most robust of the men, and especially those who have some largo hoys amongst their families, and if possible some old bushmen to go with the first batch. Let each family on a perpetual lease five or ten acres, according to number, and set them to work on the co-operative principle, to form the road to the sections. As soon as the road is up to the first 100 acres let the sections he balloted for, and get two or three of those nearly extinct but very useful men, viz., bush carpenters, to assist and direct the men to split slabs and erect substantial two and four-roomod wharej, supplying them with iron for roofs, doors and windows, nails, &0., the whare to be plasteied inside with clay. If there should be totara timber about, the iron for roofs could be dispensed with, as the bark would make a much warmer roof, allowing them an agree! upon price for building the same, and, if necessary, to help to support their families. By this time they would be in a position to remove their families on to the land, and the work of clearing their sections could begin. The Government might then let by contract sleepers, fencing stuff, bridge timber, firewood for railway engines, &c., and might also let the reserves to sawmillers to remove the timber, so as to enable the reserves to be utilised iu extending the settlements, or to allow tho settlers to run their cowa on it at a low rate. Wheu the family all got together it would be found they would speedily have gardening operations iu fall swing, and the commencement of prosperity would dawn. The back blocks would be taken up in larger areas, some of them doubtless by the eons ot the unemployed, and hope would take the place of despair. By aud by cows and pigs would appear, which would necessitate a creamery and a thriving settlement of contented people would be seen, and all done at a trifling expense, which could ha paid for by a small annual payment. In conclusion, I would state the above plan I have seen worked out on the Peninsula, Papanui, Kaiapoi, Rangiora and Oxford bushes, and could give the names of scores if not hundreds of people who are now perfectly independent through the system above indicated, with not a farthing of Government money.—l am, &e..

ONE WHO TAKES NOTICE.