A TIME FOR ACTION

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 421, 12 June 1922, Page 4

A TIME FOR ACTION

The original idea in connection with I ho after war settlement of our ex-ser-vice men was to settle them, as far as possible, on Crown lands, under such tenures as were available, and it was suggested, somewhat vaguely perhaps, that employment could be found for those who proposed to take up land, in clearing and preparing such lands for settlement, and then subdividing them into suitable holdings and erecting the necessary homesteads, etc., so that the men desirous, of settling upon the land

could chtoi' upon the possession of their holdings, either os tenants or prospective freeholders, with the hind ready lor the plough and KOjntv Wastoliahlc prospect of its being made immediately productive! Unfortunately, most ol the remaining Crown lands are situated in remote districts, and the demand lor what is termed “settlement land” was greater than the demand for land remote from settlement, and, while Crown lands were opened up for settlement, most of our returned soldier settlers have made their homes on the higher priced lands in the settled districts. At the R.S.A. Conference Mr G. Mitchell, M.P., very properly emphasised the necessity for having a well-defined land settlement scheme m connection with the immigration policy. The Lands Department still has large areas of land available for settlement by returned men —nearly, if not quite, halt a million acres are thus held—but it is manifestly against the interests of settlement that those lands should bo held open indefinitely, and any lands not applied for within a reasonable period should be made available for exImporinl servicemen preferably, or for other immigrants. The present unemployment difficulty is but a passing phase of the very acute position caused by tire war. The trouble is relatively less in New Zealand than in any other portion of the Empire, or even in that land of boundless resources, the United States of America. It is duo to the abnormal conditions caused by the sudden collapse of the overseas markets in which our primary products are disposed of, and the consequent shortage of money when it was most in demand, but the depression which followed is already lifting. The Government has been blamed for continuing to bring out immigrants in face ol the depression and unemployment. Yet it lias barely replaced the number of men lost by our war effort. The new-comers can never fill the places in the hearts of New Zealanders of our heroic countrymen who made the supreme sacrifice in'the Great War, but they can help in the development of the country, and it is good policy to bring out as many_ as the country can place satisfactorily, and the R.S.A. Conference, by its resolution of Friday, urges the Government to go further than it is doing. The Government lias temporarily suspended its immigration activities, which have been confined to nominated immigrants and ex-service men, the nominated men and women being confined to those who have already relatives in the Dominion who desire them to come out and who accept full responsibility for their housing and employment. R.S.A. wants immigration of ex-service men to continue, and, with it, asks that

“ample provision should be made for absorbing immigrants by—(a) providing a progressive scheme of agricultural training and settlement, and (b) opening up suitable avenues of employment before arrival. Immigration, in its opinion, is too valuable to be stopped.”

The maintenance of the Allied armies of occupation bad cost Germany £250,000,000 to the end of March Inst. South Canterbury civil servants have passed a resolution protesting against any further “cut’' in the wages of Suite employees.

A split lias taken place in the Sydney Theosophicai Lodge and u now organisation styled tlie “Blavatsky Lodge” bias been formed. General Feng Yushcang, die Christian Governor of the Hunan Province, China, has issued a decree of prohibition upon the practice of binding women’s feet.

The bookmakers in Melbourne are establishing a fund to defend cases in which claims are being made for tho return of betting debts paid by cheque. The Dovonport Borough Council has accepted an offer of a loan of £50,000 at £95. bearing interest at 5f per cent, on the gross amount.

At tb-) Napier Police Court George Horace Fletcher, aged 21, a postman, admitted tho theft of seven postal packets and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

A message from Sydney states that the official figures in tho possession of the Railway Commissioners give no hope of any all-round decrease in fares or freights.

Mr Oakes, Minister of Health in New South Wales, lias announced that the medical authorities have warned him (hat the plague will probably recur next summer. About 30 tons of cargo trashed ashore from the Wiltshire have arrived at Auckland, including four sack's of cigarettes in tins of 50, oil, varnish in boxes and barrels, a quantity of ruberoid, cotton, and wool. A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that the Taxation Committee has adjourned until 27di June. In the meantime a suh-commiiiee will frame a report to be submitted to the main committee when it reassembles.

Mr Sustri, the Indian delegate to Australia, states that he is very well satisfied with the progress he has made for the betterment of Indians' condition in Australia.

General Femenoff arrived at Toronto on route for Vancouver, where he intends to sail to rejoin the remainder of his army, which is now said to be in North China, lie said his prosecution at New York was due to political and commercial animosity. The British Air Department lias decided not to allow the use of tho totalizator at aviation meetings. Betting exports who proposed the scheme, urged that the use of tho totalisator would attract as many persons as horse race meetings.

The foodstuffs division of tho United States Department of Commerce has issued a statement that the world’s shortage of wheat will begin to bo felt at the end of June, and that the world’s wheat stocks will bo lower than for several years, since both Argentina and Australia have considerably less than last year. The removal of the furniture and fittings and all articles and movable goods of value from the middle section of the Wiltshire, which at present lies precariously on the reef at Great Barrier, will probably be attempted while the weather holds good. A start was made on Friday, but a rising sea made it impossible to continue. Much wireless apparatus and other gear in this portion of the ship is of considerable value, and an early attempt at salvage will be made if the weather conditions permit. ■‘A large amount of heavy motor traliio still continues to pass through tiie county, but particulars have been obtained in connection with a number of offenders and prosecutions will follow next Court day,” reported the engineer to the llorowhenua County Council on Saturday. At the last meeting a by-law was framed, closing the roads to heavy traffic- during the winter months. In this connection the. engineer stated that the by-law was in respect ot loads which were carried in the interests ot industries or businesses other than farming. “Rosco” all wool suits are built to wear just a little longer, just a little better at minimum cost. The new ranges to hand represent our latest show week designs, Special sale prices, too; Sss to 152s.—The C. AT Ross Co., Lvd.—Advt.

Stop coughing! “Nazol'' gives instant relief, stops tickling, soothes throat soreness and huskiness.—Advt, Last month seventy births wore recorded locally. The mothers who will be buying a new pram are invited to accept the free gift of a pretty 21-piece English tea set. One window is displaying these tea sou, while inside are shown our perfectly new stock of prams. With any pram you purchase you get your own choice of tea sot from window absolutely free of charge—Collinson and Son, Broadway.—See page 3 advt. for dotails. —Advt. For bronchial coughs, take Woods' Great Pcppsrmint Guxe.—Advt.

Four fishermen, arrested in Uio vicinity of the Wiltshire wreck on a charge of theft from the wreck, have been remanded at Auckland for a week.

Allhough a frost at Otaki on Friday whs regarded as the heaviest in Otaki for some years only one and a-half degrees were recorded (savs the Mail).

The engineer reported to the Pohangina County Council on Saturday that he had planted 1000 trees to (ill the space in the plantation near the Ferry road.

The induction of the Rev. Thomas llalliday, late of Foxtoii, to the charge of St. Peter’s (Presbyterian) Church, Auckland, took place last week. Miss Alice Wilson, daughter of the Rev. and Mrs (1. Dighy Wilson, of Woodville, is Ihe holder oi the post-graduates’ scholarship for 1921. Hhe is proceeding to Oxford, where she is entering for final honours in history, which i.- the highest Oxford lias to offer in historical research.

It is understood that the London Salvage Association, which automatically takes ovet the matter of salvage on behalf of the underwriters, has instructed an expert salvage contractor of Brisbane to inspect the wreck of the Wiltshire, This expert is now on his way to Auckland, and it is unlikely that the matter of salvage of the hull and the cargo in it will be proceeded with until he arrives.

“I notice that tiro chairman of the Manawatu County Council stated the other day that the hospital levy swallowed about a seventh of the general rates of the county. The hospital levy takes more than a seventh from our county,” remarked Cr. Monk, chairman of the Iforowhenua County Council, on Saturday. Remanding four fishermen charged with (heft from the wreck of the Wiltshire, Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M.. remarked that the offence was regarded by the Jaw as a very serious one, and it was just as well for people to know that the penalty ran as high as 14 years’ imprisonment. The launches belonging to the accused are also being hold by the police ponding the result of the charges against the owners. The difficulty and expense of obtaining suitable totara timber for repairing sevora-’ bridges in the Pohangina County was reported to the meeting of the council on Saturday by the engineer (Mr D. Watson). He stated that he hod had to use a considerable amount of good timber taken Lorn bridges that had been concreted. Witli the exception of the ends, which had rested on the piles, this timber, ib2ft long, was quite sound. The Prime Minister has received from Mr Lloyd George a most interesting souvenir of Chequers, the country home of the British Prime Minister. This is a goldmounted walking stick suitably engraved, dated July, 1921. The stick’s chief interestlies in the fact that it is made from a branch taken from 'one of the famous clumps of yews planted compulsorily by the landowner in the ‘‘good old days” when the strength of tho army depended very largely on ns bowmen. Yews were planted to ensure a plentiful supply of bows. Nowadays the yews at- Chequers make a pleasing canopy under which to dine in the summer months.

in tho course of the secondary school teachers’ deputation to the Minister for Education, Mr M. F. Renner stressed the need for combating wrong methods of speech and pronunciation. “Lip laziness” among children was becoming worse year by year. Proper teaching of phonetics was essential. We taught the children to respect the British flag, he said, and we .should also teach them to respect our language, which he hoped would one day become the universal language of the world. We should aim ro keep the well of the English language pure and undeiiled. The lion. C. J. Parr said the community was indebted io Mr Renner for his activity in combating bad pronunciation. He was afraid that in some schools there was too much carelessness in this matter, and he felt that proper voice production and pronunciation should bo taught both in the schools and in the training colleges. Farmers are reminded of the field day arranged for their benefit at Mr A. Montgomerie’s farm, Kauwhata, early tomorrow afternoon. Mr J. W. Deem, Government fields instructor, will give a demonstration on lucerne growing, manures and manuring, while Mr F, Mills, official demonstrator for the Ayrshire Breeders’ Association, will run over the points of the Ayrshire cow.

The Mayor invites citizens to attend a meeting at the Council Chambers tomorrow (Tuesday) evening at 7.30 to set up a committee to raise funds for tho starving children in Russia. Miss Thorp, who has had practical experience of the work in Russia, is coming to Palmerston North on Friday evening next, and will deliver a lantern lecture in Everybody's Theatre, The matter is urgent and help is sadlv needed.