SETTLING IDLE LANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19416, 26 August 1926, Page 12

SETTLING IDLE LANDS.

THE HOMESTEAD SYSTEM.

ENTIRELY INOPERATIVE. PROVISIONS SUSPENDED. [BY telegraph.—special beporteb.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday Speaking on the second reading of the Laud Laws Amendment Bill the Minister of Lands, Hon. A. D. McLeod, stated in the House to-day that ho was firmly convinced that the settlement of pumice and gum lands in the North Island could not be effected without considerable subsidies from the State. He gave reasons for the proposal in the bill that the authority for spending £1,000,000 annually on the development of such lands be cancelled for the time being. The Act of 1919, which had instituted the so-called homestead system, said the Minister, had been entirely inoperative. Not a single settler had taken advantage of it. The bill therefore provided for the cancelling of the authority to spend money upon it. "I havo come to the definite conclusion," continued Mr. McLeod, "and it is based on personal observation and on the advice of my officers and of practical men who are working these classes of country to-day, that if these lands are to be developed, and a good deal of them can be, it can only be-dona by means of subsidies from the State. I have long hold that the same is true of swamp development. Unless a swamp is very favourably situated as to elevation, there is grc-at risk in developing it," That was so when the total cost of the work was between 60 and 70 per cent, lower than it is to-day, Tim department had been strongly criticised for writing off moneys with respect to swamp lands, but, in his view, these concessions simpiy represented the State subsidy, without which such lands could not. bo brought to profit. The con cessions were quite justified, even though they amounted to 30 of 40 per cent, of the total cost of development. It was quite true that some patches of pumice and gum lands, had been made productive by the extraordinary energy and perseverance of those who had taken up possibly rather superior areas. Some such families, by united and untiring offort over many years, had at last made them selves a comfortable livelihood. However, it would be absurd to say that immigrants or the average run of New Zealanders could do the same without ljeavy subsidies. He proposed to have the financial provisions for the homestead scheme removed from the Statute Booh: because lie did not want to be a party to a project in the course of which one-third or one-half o"f the cost would have to be written off. Ho considered tho provision should not be permanently removed. It should be restored when the Government was in a position to say that tho Dominion was financially able to develop these lands undei' a subsidy system. When that time came, a scheme of operations could be worked out.

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

A HALT TO BE CALLED.

MINISTER WATCHING RESULTS.

[BY XELBQJUjPH.— press association.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday.

It was stated in the House this afternoon by the Hon. B. A; Wright that it was not the intention of the Education Department to further pursue $t present the policy of establishing junior high schools. They had about 35 applications for such schools-and if they were to go on, on the present basis it would cost from, £IOO,OOO to £125,000 per annum. He was not complaining at that but it was the opinicn of mfhy good educationalists that the goal aimed at by the junior high school could bo achieved quite as, successfully and much more cheaply by improving the primary schools' course of instruction. They required ait least twelve months to see how the present junior high schools were working out. If the policy was to bo continued then it must be done with vigour. There was no use playing with it. Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon): Then you are departing from the policy of your predecessor? Mr. Wright : That may bo so.

■MENACE TO CHRISTCHURCH.

COURSE OF WASMAKAFtIR!.

PROTECTING RIVER BANKS. ' ; f ■ ;• "

[BJT XrXKQRAPR.—PRESS ASSOCIATION. J WELLINGTON. Wednesday

The Hon. K. S. Williams moved the second reading, of the Wafmakariri River Improvement Amendment " Bill "in the House. tp:4a>*. '.The bill makes provision for better control of this river. The Prime Sinister said he had had an opportunely of surveying the river from an aeroplane, He. was not an alarmist '.■ but he thought there was no doubt the rivei' was slowly, but surely, closing i'n on the city of Christchurch, and if tho banks' were not effectively protected sooner or later the rivSr would go bacjc to tho same old bed and the people of Christchurch would have something to remember. Mr.. Coates said he would be pleased to giv^.those members interested an opportunity of seeing the course of the river from r the air, and could assure them thev would have a good machine, even though they, were Opposition members. ,'* The bill received support from a number of Canterbury members arid was read a second time.

TEACHING AGRICULTURE.

THE NEEpS OF AUOKLAND.

TECHNICAL COLLEGE PLOT.

[BY TELEGRAPH.-—KPECTAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The teaching "of agriculture at the Auckland Technical College was mentioned in the House to-day by Mr. W, J. Jordun (Manukau), vdiera tho annual report, on technical education was presented. '' Mr. Jordan said the college had had a piece of land for experimental plots, but had disposed of it, and agriculture was now taught only in a room. Tho principal stated that this arrangement was satisfactory for the first year, but he wished to get a piece' of land for more advanced work. He asked if it would be possible to foster tho study of agriculture by procuring the land "that was wanted. "" ' - The Minister of Education, Hon. R. A. Wright," remarked that presumably the number of pupils' taking agriculture had fallen off. Mr. - Jordan: They have applied for authority to obtain more land, buthavo not got it. The Minister replied that agriculture a* a study should be encouraged and he Would look into the matter.