LAND POLICY

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 112, 11 April 1929, Page 8

LAND POLICY

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. GROUP SETTLEMENTS. In an interim statement yesterday regarding the preparation of the Government land* settlement policy, the I Minister of Lands (Hon. G. W. Forbes) ! refers to the development of the group settlement idea on a block of 20,000 acres in the Taupo-llotorua district, where surveys are now being made. The Minister points out, however, that in the absence of Parliamentary authority no money is available at present for financing his scheme. Privately owned lands are being offered at prices which are considered excessive, and file Ministers hints that it may be necessary to apply compulsion to bring about their resumption. Mr Forbes said lie had visited a great portion of the Dominion, and Had looked into the condition and prosspects of many of the Government settlements, and was very pleased to say that the settlers were “getting on their feet” and were feeling confident about the future. There were, however, some—not many—who would require further assistance, and when that was afforded the difficulties of the past would be about ended. With respect to the programme for the future, Mr Forbes said lie had asked the Commissioners of Crown Lands to select areas of undeveloped Crown lands suitable for subdivision ill their districts, and get the necessary surveys made, so that settlement could be proceeded with when Parliament approved of the necessary finance being provided. Settlement, Mr Forbes remarked, was largely a matter of finance. The present position was that he had no authority to expend any money in preparing land for occupation or in making advances to settlers to assist them in making the necessary improvements in the initial stages of the breaking-in of their holdings. “Until that power is given,” said the Minister, “I cannot legally assist a settler going on to an unimproved bush section even to the extent of one shilling, which makes any attempt to settle that class of land futile. PREPARATORY MEASURES. “As the result of my tour of inspection I am satisfied that there are in the Dominion hundreds of thousands of acres of unimproved land, mostly in bush and tern, which can be profitably occupied now that the value of topdressing for that class of land is understood. . It is land requiring fairly close settlement, so that the blocks will be of sucli a size as to allow of intensive farming of the whole area, and I am hoping that as a result of tho investigations now being made blocks suitable ior group settlement will be found. In that connection, and as a result of my visit to the Taupo-Rotorua district, topographical and physical surveys of a block of 20,000 acres are being undertaken by officers of my department, two plane table parties being detailed for the work. IV hen that is completed tho area will be in readiness for tackling for settlement when the necessary funds are available. Blocks in other parts of the Dominion will be taken in hand on similar line's. “I am very anxious to push on with this work, but the fact that no provision was made in the past to enable it to be done makes some delay unavoidable. “in regard to the 20,000-acre block in the Taupo district, it is my intention, after the surveys are completed and a scheme of subdivision decided upon, to hand it over to the Department of Agriculture to break in and to lay down mgrass a sufficient area to enable each section to comprise a portion. This will enable the settler to, obtain some return from his land from the beginning, and he will then be in a better position to tackle the breaking in ot the balance of his section. The land concerned is at presnt in fern and scrub, and is all easily ploughable.” CLOSER SETTLEMENT. In regard to the purchase of pri-vately-owned properties tor closer settlement, the Minister said that it was not as satisfactory as he could wish. Since Hecember fast 214 properties had been placed under oner, in areas ranging rrom 160 to 2U,UUU acres. A large number ot these, from their description, were deemed to be unsuitable trom .the outset. A number appeared to be desirable holdings, and tne* Dominion Land Purchase Board was obtaining reports on and valuation of tnem, but Mr Forbes .was not hopeful of much business being done, as the prices asked lor the properties which had been examined were in almost every case considerably above the producing value of the laud and the Government valuation, in some cases the price being ashed being double the existing roll valuation. It looked as if it would not be possible to avoid the bringing into operation of the compulsory clauses of the Act. The Government did not wish to be placed in that position; but with the knowledge that the present unsatisfactory condition of the Dominion in regard to unemployment could be improved primarily by closer settlement and the better utilisation of the land, the necessity of doing something to bring that about should be as apparent to the land owners of the Dominion as to the Government, and it was considered that it was reasonable to ask for their co-operation' in that direction. However, up to the present the spirit in which it had been approached by land owners was a demand for excessive values on most of the properties placed under offer, with no response at all on th.o part of the m&jority of those holding large areas of land particularly suitable for close settlement. I am hoping that there will be a change of attitude in this respect, and that it will not be necessary to apply compulsion; but I am empowered to say that the Government recognises its responsibilities, and will not shrink from the exercise of the powers provided by Parliament to bring about the closer settlement of the lands of the Dominion. LOCAL PURCHASE BOARDS. The Minister hus decided to set up immediately local . Land Purchase Boards which will co-operate with land work under the control of the 'Dominion Land Purchase Board. _ Thesl boards will comprise the Commissioner of Crown' Lands for each land district and three other persons to be appointed by the Crown. The duties of the boards will be to deal with all offers of land to the Crown and report on same, recommending their purchase or otherwise; and' they will be instructed to review thoroughly the existing occupation of all _ suitable Lands in their respective districts, and where expedient to approach the owners with a view to their acquisition, by negotiation or by the compulsory clauses of the Land for Settlements Act. In every case before the compulsory clauses were invoked the owner or owners of the land would be given every opportunity to go before the board and voice his or their objections. After hearing those, the local boards would report to the main board, which would consider the. report and make a recommendation to the Minister. Mr Forbes added that this procedure would preclude the possibility of any hardship being .inflicted unwittingly. Summing up, Mr Forbes stated that

ho looked to the development and settlement of what had been termed the “watte lands” of the Dominion for the greatest contribution to increase settlement and production, but he felt that a quite considerable addition to the present settlement could be made in the settled areas.