GROUP SETTLEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20960, 25 August 1931, Page 13

GROUP SETTLEMENT.

gjj. _i am thoroughly in sympathy with the group settlement movement, having recognised during the past 10 years that this is the' only solution to bring about a better state of affairs in this country. There are people to-day who owe their • present prosperity to the same system of land settlement, which in a small way / was carried out by the Seddon Government with success. One place I have in mind was just outside Ngaruawahia, and at that time was called Firewood Creek. The settlors were guaranteed so many days a week on the roads at 7s a day—the ruling wago then. The rest of the time they put in on their sections. It is either this or being reconciled to the spectacle of 50,000 men on the bread // and butter line forever, which is not any ; good to the individual nor to the country generally- Everyone knows that land settlement is needed, if this country is not going to stand still, but no one seems to' be able to work out the dotails. The money is available now through the unemployment funds to mako a start. , Many of the unemployed would nob bo ' statable for land settlement. A great number would, however, and a certain amount of the unemployment fund should be earmarked for the purpose of laud settlement. W.R.B.