WASTEFUL RELIEF WORKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21597, 15 September 1933, Page 15

WASTEFUL RELIEF WORKS

g; r> —Quite recently the chairman of a local school committee told me, with a • certain amount of pride, that his committee had been responsible for the distribution of £12,000, this amount being spent on relief labour in the beautification of the school grounds. As one goes about the suburbs one sees much evidence of the expenditure of the fund, beautiful school grounds, artisticallv arranged rockeries, etc., and, while these things are pleasing to the eye, and in some measure useful, it is perfectly obvious the people of New Zealand cannot afford to throw money away in this way. What, then, can we do in an endeavour to get some return or advantage from the money spent? Let us endeavour to develop among our people an agricultural bias, hoping that when world conditions improve we will be able to find a market for the'fruits of our labour. There are at present in New Zealand several large tracts of land that could, under a svstematic scheme,- be brought into productivity. If the Government does not at present own such land, lot it acquire it and sot about its development under a semi-military scheme. Camps could be established giving the men decent living drying rooms and every reasonable facility for living as we consider a white man should. The men could be enlisted, and upon entering camp they could be given an outfit of clothing somewhat similar to that issued to the troops when entering Trentham. The rate of pay could be reasonable, and men with families be given an allowance. The men could also be given reasonable facilities for visiting their homes. In the actual work the men could, as far as possible, be employed on a rotary svstem, by which they would be constantly gaining a knowledge of farm work," etc. Each camp could be under the supervision of a commandant, -in whom would be vested certain military powers for the purpose of maintaining discipline. The overseers would have to be experienced men, who could act both as overseers and instructors. As the areas are brought into productivity they could be subdivided and balloted for among bona fide relief workers, care being taken to see that the price asked for and the conditions of repayment were such as to be encouraging. The advantages of the above scheme would appear to me to be fairly obvious, and I do not think it would •rea uire a genius to > put; it < into; operation. ...Habold. Wabd.