LAND SETTLEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18342, 7 March 1923, Page 11

LAND SETTLEMENT.

QUESTION OF IMMIGRATION. . T HE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY. " STATEMENT BY MB, MASSEY. Certain aspects of immigration and ' . d settlement were discussed by the prime Minister, Mr. W. F. Massey, prior :'..'. to his departure for Wellington last even- '* There is no question about the importance of immigration and land settlement in this country," said Mr. Masesy, •'and the Government fully realise that, but it is quite evident that their policy in this respect is not fully understood. So far as immigration is concerned there has been a good deal of objection to encouraging immigrants from Britain to come to this country under existing conditions, but the Government felt that on the one hand it could not refuse to admit suitable immigrants of our own race and citizenship, and on the other hand what is wanted hsro is a larger population and encouragement to immigrants of the right class. It is not a question of what amount of capital they possess, but it is our duty to see that the immigrant* who come here will be industrious and enterprising people likely to do good for themselves j and for the Dominion. Now that we are en a fair way to returning prosperity we expect to be able to increase the number who will be absorbed without increasing unemployment. An Imperial Principle. •■-,** When in England attending the Imrrial War Conference and War Cabinet, took the opportunity of moving that this conference expresses itself in favour of arrangement* by which intending emigrants from the United Kingdom may be induced to settle in countries under the British flag, and also that this conference expresses itself in favour of the principle that each part of the Empire, having due regard to our Allies, shall J;ive specially-favourable treatment and acilitiea to the produce and manufacture* ' of other parte of the Empire." The motion I was agreed to unanimously, and both principles have been affirmed by legislation in the Imperial Parliament. I think that New Zealand should now be able to absorb not | Jess than 10,000 British immigrants each year. To those who object to immigra- I lion, I would say that every industrious man or every industrious family who come here help to provide employment for other classes of the population and so assist us to carry the heavy burdens resulting from the war. I think it can be confidently (aid that, taking them on the whole, our immigrants so far have given satisfaction and are worthy to become fellow-citizens with ourselves. "So far as land settlement is concerned, And especially by people who have not had colonial experience, it has to be remembered that the Crown lands now remaining in New Zealand are only second and third-class lands. Thev have, however, been proved repeatedly during recent years to b«i capable of great improvement, though I am firmly of opinion that to put people without capital and without experience on such lands would be in most cases to court disaster. During recent years we have drained huge areas _ of swamp which are gradually coming into use for dairy-farming purposes and which have contributed largely to the very satisfactory increase in the export of butter ■nd cheese, especially, I may say, from the Auckland Province. 1 have also been informed that very good progress is being made with the drainage of the Hikurangi swamp. This work was commenced some months ago, and is being done with machinery imported for the purpose. Assistance with Passage Honey. "As for the homestead system which has been referred to, that is provided for in the law of the country now. Th» Minister for Lauds may set apart certain blocks of Crown land for the purpose, a settler may occupy a section on any one. of these "blocks, and when he has resided there for the specified time and has completed the improvements provided by the Act, he will 'be entitled to a Crown grant therefor. '■ Then in other parts of New Zealand, particularly Central Otago, we are irrigating large tracts of country where the rainfill is light and where water is scarce, | but irrigation simply works wonders, and as far as we have gone the land which has been irrigated is carrying about five sheep to the acre for every one that it carried before, and crops, especially lucerne, in ♦he same proportion. " On account of the financial stringency and also because returned soldiers' applications for land had not at that time been fully satisfied, Cabinet decided to held in abeyance for 12 months that part of the Empire Settlement Act which deals with the placing of immigrants upon Crown lands, but Government has, however, concentrated on the section of the Act which provides for assistance by the British Government with passage money, the result being that in the opinion of the Imperial officers administering their Emigration Act, the New Zealand agreement has completely overshadowed similar _ agreements with "other parts of the Empire. Position in Canada. " The plain' truth is that so far as land settlement is concerned, our Crown lands require to be what farmers call ' made,' that is, properly cultivated, j fertilised, and worked for some ywirs before satisfactory results can be obtained th'etsfrom. I have been told rspeatedly that settlement is progressing satisfactorily on Crown lands in Canada and lands owned by the C.P.R. As a matter of fact I took the opportunity of visiting new settlement on prairie couut-y when I was in Canada, and I can understand for myself the paragraphs in this morning's Herald dealing with the subject. I believe that, in spite of < the climate, bringing land into cultivation is easier in Canada than in New Zealand, because wheat can be grown on new land the very first year it is broken up. That is impossible in this country, but ' our advantages in the way of climate far outweigh any possible advantage such as they have in Canada. Dur- ; ing the depression the applications for ' Crown lands from our own people, the " ««ns of settlers, returned soldiers, and ; men who have earned and saved a little ' capital, fell off; but I am glad to say that lately the indications have greatly ] improved and there are now applications tor sections as quickly as thev can be ; surveyed and got ready for settlement. ! As for the Socialistic idea of comma- ' nity settlement, I do not think that we can expect much from that sort of thing, ] there is one industry more than an- ■ other where individual effort is necessary ( It is in connection with settlement or even agricultural operations on improved : lands. In several places the Lands Department is preparing and cultivating blocks for small farm settlement. For instance, at Swanson, there is an area of nearly 300 acres which is almost ready , for occupation, having been cut up into 18 sections suitable for poultry and fruitfarming. It is expected that this land, ' when opened for selection, will be taken np readily. I may also add that similar arrangements are being made in other parte of the Dominion. I have dealt at some length with the subject of taxation on several occasions, and I will simply say here that the first duty of the Government is to reduce taxation, and when that has been done, I propose to take in hand the removal of anomalies."