A LEAN TIME AHEAD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3803, 1 February 1927, Page 11

A LEAN TIME AHEAD.

GOSPEL OF WORK PREACHED. t<r . AUCKLAND, January 27. 1 am inclined to think that we are in tor a lean time,” said Mr H. Buckleton (general manager of the Bank of New Zealand), :n an interview at Whangarei. At least, ’ he added, “the indications point that way._ In any case. I am afraid we are due for it.” Mr Buckleton went on to say that New Zealand had been reasonably prosperous for a good many years, and in the natural cycle of events a lean time was to be expected. Asked how such a condition of affairs should be met, Mr Buckleton said that the first thing for everyone to do was to work, because there was no room for idle people in New Zealand. To a question as to where the work should be done, he said that, apart from national works, the farmers in the rural districts required assistance, and he was anxious to see more work being done on the farms. Unfortunately, said Mr Buckleton, the average farm holding in New Zealand was much too large, with the result that in many places noxious weeds were gaining the ascendancy, and in other places the pasture had deteriorated The first step in an improvement of the farm lands, he urged was a reduction in the size of the holdings by means of subdivision. This, of course, would not be an easy matter owing to the difficulties of finance, but in the meantime and until the responsibility of keeping farm land in proper order was more "widely distributed, he suggested that every farmer who could possibly afford it should give employment to those seeking work in the matter of fencing, clearing land of noxious weeds, and general improvement. By doing this they would help themselves, help the State, and help the unemployed. Mr Bukleton said that there were plenty of farmers who would willingly provide a few days’ work which, in the aggregate, would mean employment for hundreds of men. The Defence Department might very well come to the State’s aid by loaning tents and transport facilities to any group of men who would go out into the country, employ their own cook, erect tents to live in, and offer their services to the farmers. A transport wagon could run the rne.> out to iheir job in the morning and bring them back to the camp in the evening An organised scheme of this kind would give much-needed employment to those who were willing to work, and would assist farmers to improve their land, and would lift the burden from the State. “Let us work and let us be full of hope, and we have nothing to fear,” said Mr Buckleton