SETTLEMENT OF LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20088, 27 October 1928, Page 15

SETTLEMENT OF LAND.

SOLVING THE PROBLEMS.

PROGRESS IN RECENT YEARS

MINISTER ANSWERS CRITICS.

[by TELEGIIA Pit. —l'lt ESS association] MASTERTON, Friday.

Dealing with land settlement and its problems, tho Hon. A. D. McLeod, Minister of Lands, in an address to electors at Carterton this evening, said that during tho past tlireo years 1829 settlors had been placed by tho Lands Department upon entirely new holdings covering an area of just, on 200,000 acres. "As 1 havo proved time and again (lie talk of abandonments • and forfeitures is largely political propaganda used not for purposes of assisting tho country, but to embarrass tho Government," continued Mr. McLeod. "As a matter of fact surrenders and forfeitures of Crown holdings show a lower annual percentage during tho last fivo years than they did during tho five years immediately prior (o tho Liberals going out of ollico in 1912. I freely admit that it has been a hard fight, to keep many settlers on their holdings, but tho Government has done everything in reason to help and official figures will show that in a large measure it has been successful." Tho Minister was satisfied that as a result of relief already granted by tho Government, and of tho generally improved outlook, tho bulk of those settlers already on the land would be ablo to carry on successfully and consequently more attention could now bo given to the question of closer settlement. Much was also being said respecting compulsory purchase, especially by those who little understood what it meant. Compulsory purchase meant taking land at a price fixed by a Compensation Court which determined tho value of improvements. After careful calculation of tho cost of roading and other essentials to modern settlement, Mr. McLeod said he knew of no large property which could be compulsorily purchased at compensation value plus tho costs lie had mentioned, which would permit settlers being placed thereon with any prospect of success.

"Ever sinco tlio dissolution of tlic National Government in 1919 it has been quite evident to those giving more than passing thought to New Zealand politics that little difference exists in main political ideals and objectives between the Reform Party on the one hand, and Iho Liberal, alias Nationalist, alias United parties on the other," said tho Minister. "There is just this difference, however, that at each successive election since that dale the middle party, with its ever-changing name, makes extravagant offers from the public purse in the hope of gaining tho Treasury benches."

THE TRANSPORT BOARD.

RATEPAYERS URGED TO VOTE.

MISS MELVILLE AT WAIKOWHAI. I . Miss E. Melville, Reform candidate for Roskill, addressed a meeting of about 50 electors in the public hall, Waikowhai, last evening. Mr. J. Cullen presided. The candidate received a very friendly hearing. Referring to the question of transport, the candidate said thcro appeared to •be some misunderstanding about the Transport Board. The United Party candidate, Mr. <J. C., Munns, was reported to have said that the members of his party 1 were pledged to secure tho repeal of tho Motor Omnibus Licensing Act. He appeared, Miss Melville said, to have overlooked tho fact that this was not a local Act, but was in operation over tho wholo of the Dominion. In any case, by tho terms of the Transport Board Act of this session the former Act would cease to be operative in tho Auckland area if the Transport Board Act caino into force as a result of tho poll of ratepayers, to be held on Wednesday next. The decision was therefore in tho hands of tho people of Auckland, and no further legislation was required. Miss Melville urged tho ratepayers of the district to make a point of voting on this question, as she believed that tho setting up of a transport' hoard would solve the present difficulties and enable services satisfactory to the whole area to be instituted.

The meeting concluded with a practically unanimous vote of thanks and confidence.

NOMINATIONS CLOSING. TWELVE O'CLOCK ON MONDAY Nominations of candidates for both European and Maori constituencies will closo at noon oil Monday. For the purpose of registering electors the Auckland electorates aro grouped under one official, but nominations of candidates arc receivable only by tho individual returning officers.