LAND DEVELOPMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 14 October 1926, Page 5

LAND DEVELOPMENT

STATEMENT BY THE HON. A. D. McLEOD ACTING PRIME MINISTER’S COMMENTS (United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, This Day. At Auckland, the Minister of Lands, Hon. A. D. McLeod, is reported to have said that he was of the opinion that the Government should undertake tho development of 3000 to 5000 acres oi land in three areas, pumice lands, mixed lands nearer Auckland, and gumlands in the North. At the time Mr McLeod was speaking of the alleviation of unemployment. The Minister for Lands is reported also to have said that the Minister of Finance had told him that he thought he could find money out of revenue. “I don’t know whether Mr McLeod has been correctly reported,” said the Hon. W. Downie Stewart to a reporter, who questioned him on the subject. “I don’t quite understand what he means, as I have not discussed the question with him.” “The money need not necessarily come from taxation,” Mr Stewart remarked in answer lo a question whether such a scheme would mean increased taxation. “If we can finance such a scheme from revenue as that mentioned by the ‘Minister of Lands it would he to our advantage to do so,” he added.

SAVING THOSE ON THE LAND

GOVERNMENT'S FIjRST DUTY' MINISTER FORESHADOWS BORROWING AUCKLAND, This Day Dealing with land settlement in a speech at Papakura last evening, the Hon. A. D. McLeod stated that lie felt certain that the turn over l'roin raising cattle and sheep to dairying has left hundreds, if not/ thousands, of holdings much too large for profitable occupation or high development. lfe found many splendid settlers struggling alpng in an endeavour to develop 400 to 700 acres when for dairying purposes they should be concentrating on 100 to 150 in all. In too many cases their finances are so hopelessly involved with successive mortgages that it is impossible for. them to sell a portion of the land without having' the whole of the mortgage called up. He foreshadowed legislation helping such settlers to dispose of the surplus in the interests of closer settlement. He had considered three alternatives —first, to save (hose already on the land wherever possible; second, to purchase land for settlement arid thus to pome. extent prevent wholesale (deflation; and third, to settle those who required land on areas as yet unoccupied. A rapid summing up had convinced iiim that to save those on the land was the Government’s first duty and that much borrowing would he necessary to achieve that end. Hence, the Stale Advances Department had, during the last three years, lent to struggling settlers

over ten millions, while ill remissions * of rent on lands other than those held by soldiers large sums had been conceded in the hope that help at the present juncture might ultimately be of benefit to lie community and settlers concerned . In reference to industries and com-

merce, Mr McLeod said it was realised that New Zealand could never hope to become great on primary industries alone. If it could be shown that secondary industries were suffering because of cheaply . laboured material being dumped into tho country reasonable protection was warranted. The Minister also expressed the opinion that unless private finance in New Zealand is controlled more enonoinirnlly there will he no hope of n redaction of unemployment during (he winter months.