LAND HUNGER

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10521, 24 February 1920, Page 4

LAND HUNGER

That the JMassey Government has not done, and is not doing, anything like all that is necessary in tho way of providing land for returned soldiers and other would-bo settlers, is clearly shown by tho outspoken comments passed at a recent meeting of tho Auckland Provincial Executive of tho New Zealand Farmers' Union. Unless, indeed, there was real cause for complaint, such a. meeting is tho very last at which one would expect telling criticism of the Government in regard to soldier-settlement. The exeeutivo carried—and, in our 'opinion, rightly carried—a motion requesting the Government to keep tho Farmers' posted in regard to immigration, so that the union could help in placing people who might come out from the Old Country. Immigration of tho right class of people is, in fact, absolutely essential if the great developmental works, hydro-electric, and otherwise, of the reconstruction period are to be carried out with due speed, efficiency, and economy, and if the increased production required to moot our heavily-increased liabilities is to be secured. A statement issued by tho Defence Department last week shows that our expenditure out of tho War Expenses Account from the beginning of the war up to December 31st, 1910, amounted to Over £71,680,000, a very serious addition to the Dominion's prewar debt of, in round figures 100 millions sterling; and when everything is brought to account, our total national debt cannot fall far short of 200 millions, constituting an extremely onerous burden for little more than a million people. Manifestly, therefore, to Ihelp us to bear this burden—indeed, if only to help to make up the war loss of 16,000 to 17,000 of the best and bravest of our men, to any nothing of the thousands more totally or partially incapacitated—a vigorous immigration policy is needed.

That the Auckland Provincial Executive of tho 'Nov Zealand Farmeia' Union recognises tho necessity for such a policy is shown by its carrying the resolution referred to. But it recognises also that with a vigorous immigration policy there must go hand in hand a more vigorous and 'effective land settlement policy. Mr P. Keegan, for example, strongly protested against the organisation of the New Zealand Farmers' Union being used to place men from other countries on tho land when our own men cannot get land. After every ballot, ho pointed out, there are 200 to 250 people disappointed—people who would make admirable settlers; and he declared that whilo that hunger is unsatisfied the Government is not doing its duty. Mr W. H. Allen, again, stated that many roturned soldiers havo failod several times to get on the land; and the result is that they are "full up of tho whole thing.'' It should, surely, bo sufficiently obvious, even to a "Reform" Government that, in faco of such conditions, a, vigorous immigration policy would bo grossly unfair, not only to the returned soldiers and to other Now Zoalandcrs who desire to settle on the land, but also to the immigrants themselves; more especially as one of the chief inducements held out to them to come hero is that land can be obtained much more easily in this country than at Home. This is not to say, however, that a vigorous immigration policy is wrong. It is, on tho contrary, both right and necessary. But equally necessary—if not, indeed, moro necessary—is a truly vigorous land policy that will put an end to tho machinations of the land aggregator, loosen tho fell grip of the land monopolist, and throw open for soldier-settlors, for other New Zealand settlers, and for all-comers—for our motto then might well be: "Let 'em all como"—the millions of acres of valuablo land now held idle, or only very poorly used.