Manawatu Evening Standard. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1923. IMMIGRATION AND SETTLEMENT PROBLEMS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 847, 26 October 1923, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1923. IMMIGRATION AND SETTLEMENT PROBLEMS.

Major-General Sir Andrew RebselL, who returned from England by the lonic on , Tuesday, after representing New Zealand at the Empire ExServicemen’s Congress, in an interview Which he gave to a Wellington paper, spoke feelingly of the unemployment trouble which, he says, .“overshadows everything in the United Kingdom today,” and declared that, “with that trouble extending over three Winters* with a fourth in prospect and no security against a fifth, the vital wellbeing of the race and of the Empire is at stake.” It was necessary, however, he said, that the Empire should mobilise its resources in tpe shine fashion as it mobilised them to meet the war of 1914. To enable that to be done effectually, it is essential that the problem of Empire development, with its accompanying migration, should be dealt with in thoroughly earnest fashion. Sir Andrew is disappointed to find that the Empire Settlement Act, under which a sura of 'three millions was to have been put aside for immigration ahd development purposes, has had no practical application, because, jip till July of this year, only ±1120,000 has been spent in that direction.' It is evident that the questions involved cannot be properly settled without Imperial preference, and a certain margin of protection lor production, and the increase of production in the Mother Country, and although it is unfortunate that the issue has had to be raised, it is something to the good that, at the Unionist Conference at Plymouth, Mr Baldwin is expected id propose protection on Home industries by means of a scientific tariff, with the idea that the revenue raised by the tariff on imported manufactures will be devoted firstly to subsidising shipping freights and costs frohi Australia and Nhw Zealand; secondly, as a bounty on corn production, and, thirdly, to subsidise Imperial COttdn growing and shipment. There is no idea, however, of taxing imported wheat or meat, although the policy of preference will be thoroughly examined at the conference; Mi' Baldwin’s policy, if agreed to by the Unionists, is likely to bring them into ’ direct conflict with the free-traders of the Motherland, who ate opposed to protective duties of any kind, ahd who ignore the evil results arising from Unfair Continental competition, .such as that engineered by Germany in the pre-war years, and which is likely to be again in evidence when the Ruhr questiqn is settled and trade conditions m Central , Europe afe stabilised. That, however, is a matter of more Ultimate concetti to the people of Great Britain than to ourselves ; but .it seems of prime importance that the question of Empire Uii* gration should bo tackled , on the broadest possible basis. It is quite true, as Sir Andrew Russell says, that “New Zealand’s effort to absorb British immigrants can only be a small one compared with Australia and Canada,” but, as he further says, "we Should make every effort possible to Create conditions under which our bowers of absorption ate increased.” We have no great amount of land ready for settlement, although a by ho means inconsiderable area of Cfown lands remains unoccupied; For the inost part, however, our lands require tho expenditure Of a large amount of Capital and labour before they can be brought into profit, and lands purfchased for settlement purposes, at present vales, are also likely to be beVond the means of most of the immigrants who dome to this country. General Ruses!!, however, suggests a method by which provision may be made for the settlement of our remain-

ing Crdfii' lalids. “In" no directioh,” he says, “may our powers of absorption be more fruitfully employed than in developing unoccupied, ot partially bcctlpied Crown lands. It is in the preparation of these lands for settlement that w6rh could be found for the niriemployedj while at the same time the improvements made by cleat* ing; imphmng and reading these un* occupied lands would pave the way for theif easier development.’’

PREPARATION FOR SETTLEMENT.

Some years- ago, it may be remembered, Dr. McNab, when holding office as Minister of Lands, proposed to utilise for settlement purposes the lands held by the Department of Agriculture at Wairartgi, in the Waikato, then the chief fruit farm worked by the department. The land in that case was properly prepared and the orchards had been planted, SO that the settlers taking up sections were assured of an early profit from their labours, and Were thus the better enabled to meet such obligations as were entailed •by their settlement on the land. Similarly, the Government has expended large sums of money in draining and plepatitlg the HaUraki Plains lands for settlement, and it is a generally accepted fact that the settlers on those lands haVe done exceptionally well. At the present tmte swamp lands in the North Auckland Province ftre also being drained and prepared for settlement. An extension of that idea to lands of inferior quality—to the second and third-class lands which can be opened for settle* ment purposes—would, as we have already said, give employment to many people, who might, when such lands are properly prepared, be settled Upon them aild become members of the increasing army Of producers, who are doing so much to help maintain the prosperity and ptogfeSS of the country. Ministers of the Crown have from time to time expressed the pious sentiment that every acre of land should be turned into profit, and we have the dnlYio in An. flifDrfißtsGll DV uGUcrfll xaiuSSGll» when he Sayf “that every acre should do its share, .as evety man should do his in making openings in New Zealand foi* immigrants fifolri the United Kingdom.” There would be fewer failures dh the part of those who take up land if they were given a proper start, but it appears to be the height of folly to place new-comers to the Country upon unimproved lands, which in most cases are of inferior quality, and expect them to struggle on through years of hard labour, in which they can expect to receive little in return for their exertions. If, as is sometimes Claimed, the land is the greatest asset of the State, it should at least be so dealt with that those occupying it will be in a position to secure a sufficient return to maintain themselves and to meet ’ their obligations from the day they enter upon it. It has to be recognised that the best of opr lands have long since been taken up, and also that, in many parts of the country, the most valuable lands are those which a few years ago were regarded as of little real worth. Take, for instance, Ruakura farm lands, which, less than twenty years ago, were worth at the outside only £6 per acre; but to-day, probably carry a, valuation of from" £SO to £6O per acre. So much time, labour and _ money have been expended in improving them that practically every penny of the added value may he said to have been put into the land. It was, we believe, difficult for the former owners of that land to make a success of their farming operations, because they lacked the capital, and probably, to a certain extent also, the experience necessary to its proper development. There is no need, of course, for the State to prepare the remainder of the Crown estate in the sivne fashion; but something should at least be done to enable newcomers who take up Crown land to settle comfortably upon it with the feeling that they are not likely to expend years of financial stress and hardship before making good. Fqrtunately, the Government is not confronted with any seriblis aindunt of unemployment at the prosent time, but it would he effectually guarding against its recurrence if it undertook the employment of gangs of men to prepare Crown lands tor settlement, and so pave the way for the absorption of a greater number of settlers on, the land.