EMPIRE LAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16989, 27 April 1917, Page 6

EMPIRE LAND

CLAIM OF THE EX-SOLDIER. SETTLEMENT COMMITTEE APPOINTED. (Feoli Oub Own Correspondent.) TjONDON, February 27. Imperial land settlement has loomed large, in tho public eye these last few days, and it is certain that tho problem will oe discussed at the coming War Council. It ia a subject in which Mr ilassey takes the keenest interest, _ and he never allows a suitable opportunity to pass in London without a reference to its importance. Fortunately, the Government .seems alivo to the fact that something must be done to attract the stream of migration to Empire lands. The Secretary of State for the Colonies has just appointed a committee to consider and report on the measures to be taken for settling within the Empire ex-soldiers who may desire to emigrate after the war: to collect and prepare for distribution to intcrding emigrants of this class information, which shall show clearly the nature of any facilities afforded by the Governments o£ the dominions and States; to advise to tho best methods of making this information accessible to tho troops; and to make re-, commendations as to tho steps which should bo taken by his Majesty's Government, in concert with the Governments of the States and dominions, for the constitution of a central authority to supervise and assist such emigration. Lord Tennyson. G.C.M.G., is chairman, and Sir Thomas Mackenzie represents New Zealand. ROYAL COLONIAL INSTITUTE SCHEME. Lord Sydenham, vice-chairman of the Royal Colonial Institute, points out that tho Empire Land Settlement Committee of tho R.C.1., while welcoming the proposed creation of an Imperial Migration Board, wishes again to emphasise the importance of developing a wojl-considercd and complete policy of land settlement within lie United Kingdom. Lord Sydenham,writes: "From the y very nature of its composition tho new board must needs deal with men who wish to settle upon our lands overseas. It is therefore necessary that eqtiiva/lent opportunities of settling on the land, under equally favourable conditions; should be provided for those who wish to remain • in the Old Country. Tho two or three experimental land settlement colonies are quitu inadequate, and must be mult : plicd many; times if any adequate and worthy provision is to be made for our ex-service men wishing to serve at home. Our agricultural population had declined before tho war to a dangerously low level; the war has reduced it still further. Every effort must "how bo made to rebuild and strengthen it. From tho social point of v : ew, as well as the economic, we need many more independent producers of food, settled on holdings of .their own. From the Imperial point of view we need an - overflowing agricultural population so that from its surplus we can send' to our dominions the class cf citizen they require above all others—the cultivator of the soil." IN SCOTLAND. In tho meantime the Scottish Committee has issued its report. Tho main aspects apply solely to Scotland, bat "• its general recommendations are of interest. Tho committee holds that a wide measure of rural regeneration in Great Britain is essential to the future of the nation: (a) To compensate for (he drain of pre war rural depopulation ; (b) to add to the defensive manpower of tho country; (c) to bring back into cultivation the immense areas of cultivable land n the country at present uncultivated; and (d) _to add t.o the homegrown food, supply in view of the present extreme dependence l of the country on supplies from abroad. The committee take the view that this policy can best be carried out by a tohemo of closer land settlement, which can best be attained by tlie_ development of smallholding colonies, with holdings of varying sizes. They suggest that in' many cases such a proposal can be best carried out bv absorbing the men into such existing villages throughout the country as may be found suitable for land settlement, "and, where housing is not available, by the immediate erection of temporary buildings from tho material which will no longer bo required for rriilitary hutting.

With a subscribers' ve-gisfror of 1600, tho Value of war savings- certificates purchased by tho Camberwoll Committee amounts to nearly £11,008.