Manawatu Evening Standard. TUESDAY, MAY 13, 1930. LAND SETTLEMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 140, 13 May 1930, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. TUESDAY, MAY 13, 1930. LAND SETTLEMENT.

Statements recently made by the Minister of Lands, Hon. G. W. Forbes, throw an interesting light on the Government’s lanu policy, which has fallen lamentably short of the actual requirements of the Dominion, particularly in regard to the opening up of the undeveloped Crown lands, of which large areas, totalling not far short of half a million acres, have been open for selection for the last three years or more. According to Mr Forbes the United Government has, since it assumed office in December, 1928, acquired 33 estates for subdivision. Seven of these were acquired under the group settlement scheme, which was legislated for by the Reform Government under the Land for Settlements Act, 1925, and part 11. of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1928. The first mentioned Act gives the Government the power to acquire estates to be sub-divi-ded and then disposed of by sale or lease to approved applicants, and, where two or more qualified persons are applicants for the same sub-division, a ballot is taken to determine the successful applicant. The 1928 Act extends tne powers of the Government for tne acquisition of land on behalf of persons already known, and, after sub-division, to sell it to them on a system of deferred payments. iSucn land may be acquired on behalf of any two or more persons, and tne seven group settlements so acquired by the (Jnited Government have been sub-divided into 24, at a cost of £66,OUU, thus averaging £2751) per section. The 26 other estates purchased by the Government nave been sub-divided into 130 sections at a cost of £498,000, the cost averaging therefore £3830 per section. The area settled is not stated, but none of the estates purchased was of any considerable extent, and it is stated, on pretty reliable, though unofficial authority, that, on the 26 estates purchased and subdivided, there were some 60 or 65 farmers, or managers and workers engaged. Accepting the former figure and assuming that the number of those engaged on the 130 sections has increased three-fold, it would appear that the cost to the country of placing the, additional 120 men in employment on the land has averaged £4150. Not a very wonderful record surely, nor one to boast about. When the actual acreage acquired and. the cost per acre of such acquisition is thus made available, the transactions covered are likely to appear in

an even less favourable light. Had the same amount been expended upon the vacant Crown lands open for selection, in preparing them for settlement, the way would have been opened up for the profitable employment of a considerable body of the workers who have been engaged on relief works, and greater profitf would have accrued to the State by the occupation of lands that are at present lying idle and, in many cases, actually going to waste by being over-run with noxious weeds and pests. The purchase by the State of lands already settled is to be deprecated while land values remain on their present high basis, and increased settlement can best be provided for by the development of the Crown lands still ljdng dormant and unsettled.