Land Development Work In New Year

Northern Advocate, 29 November 1939, Page 2

Land Development Work In New Year

[Special to “Northern Advocate”'] AUCKLAND. This Day.

The transference of the majority of men employed under Scheme 13 to land development employment early in the New Year, was announced today by the Minister for Labour <Mr Webb).

Witli the extension of the 4B Scheme, there would be a job for every man capable of carrying out a day’s work, he said.

At present, 4000 men were working under the 413 Scheme and there were another 2000 jobs to be filled. When seasonal work was finished, he anticipated that 10,000 men would be employed on land development, including men from various Fubhc Works jobs. Mr Webb said the work would start on areas close to the towns and cities, the plan being to work outwards in- ' stead of inward. Wist* Pays.' Costs. Work under the 4B schomp tvart carried out on a co-operative contract basis explained the Minister. The Government provided 75 percent of the wages costs, and the farmer 25 per cent. The price per acre was based on the ability of the average man to earn in a "clay, and the latest figures supplied to him indicated that the contractors had earned on an average £1 a day. , . At present 4000 men were working under the scheme and there were ananothcr 2000 jobs to be filled. When seasonal work was finished he anticipated that 10,000 men would be employed in the development of land. Mortgage Survey. Asked whether the farmer would have any difficulty in finding the 23 per cent for wages and the costs of manures and other requiremenst, Mr Webb said the State Advances Corporation was having a survey made of all properties over which it held mortgages, with a view to advancing in all approved cases sufficient funds for the carrying out of the scheme. Bank and mercantile firms were doing the same. He visualised the difficulties that would face Great Britain, after the war was over, and said it was reasonable to assume that the overseas countries would be asked to absorb a large proportion of the surplus population of Great Britain.

The work that New Zealand was undertaking, both in regard to land development .and the development of industries, including the iron industry at Onekaka, was paving the way for assistance to be given to the Mother Country at the conclusion of hostilities.