LAND SETTLEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19739, 12 September 1927, Page 12

LAND SETTLEMENT.

Sir,—lt is 'manifest that the one solution to regain oar universal prosperity and at the same "time solve the problems ol the idle is to concentrate on a vigorous land settlement policy throughout the Dominion. - Our wealth and prosperity in the past were derived from the land and will he in thfe future, notwithstanding fostering secondary industries that wiu have, An extremely, cramped limit to expansion unless existing uncultivated areas are brought into, a state of producing by encouraging a' material increase in Our rural population. Travelling through both islands, even the casual observer is impressed by the extent of UnprOduCittg land, both occupied and unoccupied, that proves conclusively wo have not even the semblance of a- land settlement policy. The onus is entirely on.the Government to find ways and means to launch a big forward movement in the direction of unlocking and settling land that is not already over-capitalised as the result of the most factitious laud boom in the history of New Zealand/ We will prosper .if people are placed on the land and rooted there on a sound economic basis, not to walk off, financially ruined, after some years of hard work; all to ho purpose. Perhaps it is. not too lata for the Government ,to take advantage of cheap money that should still be available under the Empire Settlement Act, 1922, and thus introduce something in the nature of group sottlemanl that han proved so successful elsewhere. <. Even though there have been lack of foresight and far-reach-ing bungliug in the past, this fact must not be permitted to retard our general development on sound; economic and pro. wessive lines. Thomab A. • "