SCHEME FOR SETTLEMENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 141, 14 May 1930, Page 2

SCHEME FOR SETTLEMENT

VIGOROUS POLICY URGED. DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE’S WORK. Proposing to give first consideration to the bringing into profit of vacant State and native lands, tho objects of tho New Zealand Land Settlement and Development League were explained in Palmerston North last evening, when Messrs W. J. Holdsworth, N. G. Gribble and R. GlovcrClark, executivo officers of the organisation, addressed a representative meeting in the Oroua Hall. 6 Mr M. A. Eliott presided, and apologies for absenco wero received from Messrs J. A. Nash, M.P., and M. H. Oram (pres’dent of tho Chamber of Commerce). Following the speakers’ advocacy of tho m .°'’ c ' rlont , it was decided on the motion " Mr A. Guy, seconded by Mr F. W. Hubbard, to form a branch of the league at this centre to give effect to tho following general policy for land settlement, as sot forth in tho league's programme:— (a) Settlement Camps, where large areas are improved by men who subsequently have tho opportunity of obtaining tho individualised farms at cost of production. Men used to hard work, even without farm experience, could bo used for this. (b) Group Settlement, something on tho West Australian lines, whore settlers are taken on to their respective holdings, given a house and work under skilled supervision until tho holdings are self-supporting. Preferably for family-men with farm experience. .(c) Zone Settlement, where isolated farms within a given radius aro passed over to men with tho necessary experience to be. improved under close supervision. Essential to havo farm experience. (d) Cadet Group Settlement, which is designed on tho lines of (a) above, to meet the requirements of boys who have some little farm experience. It is considered that the inducement of early proprietorship would start a flow of boys from the schools to a farm life. The league considers that the first essential to the provision of an active land settlement policy is a Settlement and Migration Board drawn from non-political circles on something the same linos as tho Board of Agriculture. This board would bo • charged with the advisory and administrative responsibility in connection with settlement of tho land and development generally in all its various forms of State lands. The board, it considers, should bo instructed to obtain suitablo settlers (1) from New Zealand, (2) from within tho Empire, (3) from Northern Europe, and tho resources of the Empire Settlement Act and any similar provisions should be utilised to tho full. The league 60ts forth that so far as tho legislative aspect is concerned, ample provision is now available on tho Statute Book; definite financo is set out (a total of £5,000,000) and by diverting into settlement projects a proportion of the money at present going into public works and “relief” works, substantial funds would bo immediately available, and their expenditure would creato an asset which would, within a short period, financo itself.

AGRICULTURE FIRST. Mr Holdsworth stated that he considered the land problem the outstanding one confronting tho people of New Zealand. There had been in certain quarters a tendency to place too much stress on cortain tilings. In tho speaker’s opinion, the primary and secondary industries of New Zealand wero rightly named in the correct order of sequence. New Zealand was first and foremost an agricultural country. That must not be forgotten or that over 70 per cent, of all the wealth produced in the Dominion came from the soil. Ho did not underrate the value of secondary industries, but was convinced that the foundation even of their prosperity lay in pushing on a vigorous policy of land settlement, bringing about greater population and increasing tho present limited scope for industry. There was a danger in having too many eggs in one basket. Markets-lay dormant in countries where the mode of living was changing and leaving markets awaiting development by New Zealand. Quick, immediate and effective action was wanted to-day, and the question of land settlement was important enough to-day to warrant the Government setting up a board of experts and practical, farmers to find t a solution. Sacrifice of agriculture brought with it tho penalty of unemployment. Salvation lay in the land and not in the industrial centres. There were 550,000 breadwinners in New Zealand, and only one-third were on the land. That w;as a ratio of three to one, and, economically speaking, it should bo two to one. A SPECIAL SESSION. “I believe it would pay New Zealand to havo a special session of Parliament to deal with tho land question and forget everything else in tho meantime,” continued Mr Holdsworth. He ventured the opinion that during the last few years the wrong kind of immigrant had been coming out as farm labourers. Praiso for Canada’s immigration scheme was given by the speaker, who stated that Lord Lovatt’s offer had not been accepted in New Zealand. Canada was receiving the very best immigrants, who were assisted over the first and most difficult year of farm operations. Other countries had attractive schemes and Western Australia had arranged to receive £34,000,000 of Bri tish capital spread over a period of years at two per cent. There wero men anxious to go on tho land, but there was no practical scheme advanced to provide opportunities. People with ambition to sottlo on tho land did not intend to remain farm labourers all their lives. It was bad business that young Now Zealanders who had attained man’s ostato should havo to go to Western Australia to sock opoprtunities. An amount of £1,800,000 had boon spent on non-productivo works in providing relief for the unemployed, and it was only a palliative. It could havo boon spent to much greater advantage on a scheme for intensive settlement, and secured productive returns. Czecho-Slovakia and France were thriving on tho Boil,. and thoir activities had given wonderful impetus to industry. Now Zealand could do just as well on its 66 million acres, of which only 19 million wero under cultivation. There was nothing wrong with tho quality of tho land and the climatic conditions were wonderful. With tho application of scienco to agriculture, tho possibilities in New Zealand wero unparalleled in the world. How long could New Zealand and Australia continue to lot vast areas lie idle when other countries of the world had reached saturation point. Unless tho lands of tho Dominion wore settled with our own kith and kin, then others would be coming in and providing ono of tho most potent factors m international complications. LACK OF ENTERPRISE.

Was New Zealand to be a place of idle land, men and money ? Why the hesitancy and lack of initiative ? Tho speaker was confident that tho people still possessed tho same grit, spirit and determination expressed in such a remarkable manner by tho early pioneers. All that was wanted was opportunity born of a vigorous programme of land settlement. Without excusing or accusing anyone, the time had come when, said Mr N. G. Gribble, the utilisation of the land must be faced. The solution of the problem lay exclusively with no section of the community. Farmers and townsmen had to put their heads together. Depletion of the population on tho land had to be arrested, and more people had to be put on the soil, but under present conditions it was costing £7600 to put each man on the land, compared with £SOO or £6OO in Canada and £62 in Macedonia. There was something wrong. All Governments in recent years had erred in not realising the gravity of tho position. The present was the time for courage, but Hon. G. IV■ Forbes thought it was tho time for caution. The trend of legislation was not encouraging land settlement, and cognisance had to be taken of the setbacks received lately by the man on the land. The State Advances Department was operating on a wrong principle. Money advanced should be going to the country in proper proportion to that to the town, and the unemployment problem would fade like tho morning mist. New Zealanders, stated Mr Gribble, without hesitation, had become an extravagant people. There had been failure to appreciate that public expenditure should be strictly in relation to pnoductive value.

Any Government could only go so far as public opinion would permit it. Europe was land hungry and America and other part 6 of the world were man hungry. Patagonia and Uruguay offered better settlement prospects to-day than the Dominion. Returning prosperity in the Dominion was within their grasp if the proper inducements were offered. People were asking for bread and receiving a stone in commitments to further taxation without greater land settlement. They were arriving at a time when the policy of drift was taking them further away from the solid land. Tracts of land were held by the Crown awaiting the turn of the productive hand. POTENTIAL WEALTH. Mr R. Glover-Clark stated that in -he Dominion there were 43,000,000 acres still undeveloped. Their development would increase the national wealth by 200 per cent. There were 3,100,000 aores of Crown land still to be disposed of as farmlands. Feat' of over-production was merely a great bogey. Just as they organised for victory in the war, they had to organise for prosperity in peace. Anomalies of tariffs would adjust themselves automatically with greater land settlement. DEPUTATION TO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. • During the afternoon the delegates waited upon the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce to enlist its support. Mr Holdsworth stated that the league had been in existence for three years and consisted of the unique combination of business, professional, farmers and practical men. There was a definite land hunger, and splendid encouragement had been received by the league, which had had its principles confirmed by forty or fifty local bodies represented at meeting in Auckland. Development of the land offered to provide the solution to the unemployment problem in New Zealand. Mr Gribble stated that the matter was a national one, with regional phases, and it was hoped to establish branches throughout New Zealand to promote the organisation’s objects. Branches - already existed at Rotorua, Hokianga and Bay of Islands. It was hoped to attempt a comprehensive settlement of land problems with an organisation not only developmental in name, but also in representation. Support for the scheme was voiced by Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., who expressed regret at his inability to attend in the evening owing to important engagements which ho had to fulfil. He added his wish for the success of the enterprising movement.