PUMICE LANDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20257, 17 May 1929, Page 14

PUMICE LANDS.

Sir, —As a settler on pumic.e lands, I should like to endorse what was said by a correspondent in Wednesday's paper. The present scheme whereby young settlers can obtain pumice land for nothing, on condition that they gradually bring it into cultivation, is a sound one, and only needs to be. greatly extended to provide, by degrees, a living for many more of our young men. The Government lias been for some time bringing young immigrants into the country to go on farms, presumably with a viow to helping them start for " themselves. This scheme, which is working satisfactorily near Roforua, ought to be widely extended. .It would, give these men a reasonable start and would rapidly settle the country and make it more productive. It is a wrong policy to contemplate selling unimproved pumice lands, but to let young men in .with, the proviso that they start improvements within two years, gives them an objective to work , for, and some hope of getting on their feet. It is uphill work, but it has a future. The thing New Zealand needs to-day is a vigorous progressive settlement policy. Until reasonable financial help is forthcoming for farmers the present drift to the towns will continue. PtrsticE Settler.