THE CALL OF THE LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19976, 19 June 1928, Page 8

THE CALL OF THE LAND.

Some illustrations of a revival of the demand for small farms in the Auckland Province were published yesterday. That the conditions they represent are general throughout the Dominion appears from the experience of the Minister of Lands. Owing to some misapprehension of remarks by him in Wellington, an impression gained currency that he had said there were a large number of unoccupied soldiers' blocks available for settlement. The result has been that "showers of applications" for those sections have been made to the Minister, and Mr. McLeod has therefore published an intimation for general information that there are not many attractive areas available. It is certainly most unfortunate that the eagerness for land, manifest in the immediate response to a casual remark by the Minister, should be disappointed. The fact that the Lands Department cannot at present offer attractive areas is at least a partial explanation of the activity in the buying and selling of farms which, while perhaps satisfactory to individuals, makes no real contribution to the development of latent resources. Transactions on the basis of "walk in, walk out," concerning established farms, presume the possession of financial resources and men with that initial equipment might easily be induced to take up new areas and bring them into production, if the land was available. Indeed, the Minister of Lands himself declared three years ago that there would be no difficulty in finding 5000 or 6000 New Zealanders to take up land if they were given the opportunity. With such assurances of the expectant demand, the Government should be encouraged to expound the programme of land settlement promised by the Prime Minister at Morrinsville. Three years ago he undertook that a general survey of the unoccupied land would be made with a view to ascertaining what areas were suitable for settlement, and it is no doubt with knowledge of the results of that investigation, including personal inspection by his colleagues, that Mr. Coates is able to forecast more active measures. Their need is evident. There is an unsatisfied demand for land by young New Zealanders, sons of farmers and sons of the cities, who, though responsive to the call of the land, find themselves thwarted by lack of opportunity. New settlement has been virtually suspended for years, and the result has been more or less general stagnation, involving unemployment and the restriction of immigration, so that in the 'past year the gain in population was barely the natural increase. In these circumstances, the Government may confidently announce and set in operation its plans for renewing the settlement of land.