The Ensign. TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 1909. FREE LAND.

Mataura Ensign, 16 March 1909, Page 2

The Ensign. TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 1909. FREE LAND.

\\V have 11 jhloii I I authority lor | Sieving that there is nothing now under [the sun. This has boen proved again liy a letter signed "Old Karinei" which appeared in a recent issue of tlie 'New Zealand Herald.' This correspondent advocates that "any immigrant arriving in the Dominion with a lew hundred pounds might take up land in certain I blocks, set aside for such purposes, ol from IUO acres to 000 acres, according to I he amount of capital he might have, such capital lo lie not less than .LIMO lor each hundred acres he takes np. These immigrants would soon become consumers of merchandise, raisers of produce for export, and employers of labor, besides aiding us in protecting the country. Is it too late to do something in this direction now?" AVe should say if is too late by 40 years and more. This proposal was made a generation ago in Now Zealand and has been carried into effect in Canada. In New Zealand the demand for land has been greater than the supply. As fast as good agricultural land has been opened lor settlement by the Government it has been taken up eagerly, no matter how disadvantageous the forms of tenure might be. Private estates which have been subdivided have also found buyers very readily. Probably the difficulty in securing cash accommodation may have some effect, in preventing the rush for land in future, but we. have no reason to fear that good land will long remain unoccupied in the Dominion. I'topian ideas on the land question are always to the fore, lull their inipracticableness is soon proved.' There is no necessity to offer free land to immigrants to New Zealand. Tile which faces our statesmen is bow lo induce tlic town dwellers to go info I lie country and face its hardships: bow to overcome the desire of pal'enis to sit their children in flic professions or becoming shopkeeper*. tradesmen or clerks rather than producers on the fertile lands of ihe Dominion.