LAND SETTLEMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 2 April 1929, Page 10

LAND SETTLEMENT

AREAS AVAILABLE LABOUR INVESTIGATIONS Land settlement is referred to in the annua! report of the national executive of the New Zealand Labour Tarty as /one. of the most fruitful avenues for improving the conditions of the Dominion and of absorbing many of those now unemployed. ; Tho report quotes detailed statistics as to the amount of land available for 'setllemeuf, pointing out that there are 24,757,262 acres of unoccupied land in .the Dominion which has not been'ini' proved, 2>67,214 acres of which are Darren' and* unproductive. Reference is also made to the pumice belt in the Auckland ' and Wellington Land Districts,, comprising 1,715,766 acres, more than, half o>f; which is owned by the Crown, .and the balance, by natives. Members of the Labour Party have recently .paid visits to this area. The report states that an examination of. tlie.land suggested, that a turning over of the soil with the plough automatically improved the soil to such an extent that with the addition of a reasonable "quantity of fertilisers, permanent , pasture could be obtained within four or'five years.- The evidence submitted was that at a cost of £6 10s per acre within . the .period mentioned, an area varying from 250 to 400 acres could be utilised to provide a reasonably; substantial income for a family. 'lt appears ■ from the evidence,'' says the executive, "that the Government has. .at its disposal a large area of land which can be profitably settled at a minimuihT. cost. 3nd the Labour Party, in and out of Parliament, will support in every way whatever steps are taken to develop the land and place settlers oh 'it.?'*.'■ - :The mistakes of the past in placing individual ; .settlers with their wives. and children, on the land from whiclrari'incohte'is not immediately available;;- should be avoided. Group settj'JmentV with -expert .and .competent supervision, and full attention to roads and"' : .tEarisport facilities shoiild, in the opinion.of -your'!executive; enable many farm's "to'spring up out of the present wilderness of " ferhi' scrub, and tusBockv ■."'•■'•