LAND SETTLEMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3912, 5 March 1929, Page 16

LAND SETTLEMENT.

THE GOVERNMENT’S PROPOSALS UNEMPLOYED TO BREAK IN AREAS. AUCKLAND, February 25. Further light was thrown on’the Government’s land settlement and development proposals by the Mnister of Public Works (Mr E. A. Ransom) in answering a combined deputation representing the Rotorua Borough Council, the Rotorua County Council, the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce, and the Rotorua-Taupo Progress League. “ Land settlement has always been a question of paramount importance to New Zealand,” said the Minister, “ and without reflecting on the previous Administration I say that sufficient prominence has not been given to the question in the last few years. Some will point to the increased production and say that last year was a record, but it has to be remembered that more scientific methods have improved production in some instances 100 per cent., while the general improvement of herds has also had a similar effect. Because production has increased it does not necessarily mean that more land has been settled.”

The Government was open to buy rea-sonably-priced lands suitable for closer cultivation and more intensive farming in blocks of from 50 to 75 acres, continued Mr Ransom. It also proposed to open Crown lands in the less developed counties and subdivide them into 150 or 200-acre lots. There had been a lot of talk about bursting up big estates by the graduated land tax, but that had never appealed to him, as in many cases it had been found that those estates could not profitably be farmed in less than 2000-aere lots. In some cases where it had been tried it had cost the Government £12,000 to settle a man. That was not a practical scheme, especially when in districts like the Roto-rua-Taupo country he could see the work being done at £l2OO or even £lOOO a man. Such land as that should be developed prior to settlement. That had long been his pet scheme. The unemployed had been placed on road construction work, continued the Minister, and while that was useful it did not materially help to improve production unless it was in the roading of new districts. Mr Ransom said he hoped to establish a settlement principle in this and other districts by which the unemployed would be engaged in breaking in certain blocks of land. The Public Works Department would select good men either from the permanent staff or from the relief workers. After a few thousand acres had been brought to a state for production a survey would be made, and the men who had assisted would be given the first chance to have the land. While breaking in such areas the men would be housed in movable huts, which would later be sold to them,

say, for £5O, in order to get a start on the land. He hoped soon to have the Cabinet's authority to put that scheme into effect so far as his own department was concerned. “ I do not want to trespass on the department of the Minister of Lands, but I do not think it would be a breach of privilege to tell you of a scheme he has in hand,” continued the Minister, in explaining that about £1,000,000 was available for land purchase, but that there was no fund for providing money for land development. Mr Forbes intended to ask Parliament for a land development fund from which prospective farmers would be assisted to break in land until it was ready for selling and for providing a certain amount of finance until, the men had the farm paying its way. A man who had been four or five years on the work of breaking in should have saved a few hundred pounds by the time he was ready to cultivate the land. When he had settled down and made certain improvements he would be assisted on the homestead system. Those going on to culivated land in districts long settled would naturally not need so much financial assistance. The land development scheme would be removed from the control of the ordinary land boards, and a special board for the whole Dominion would have the oversight of that particular work. Mr Ransom said he did not think any material change would be made by the Government to the land laws and the system of tenure. GISBORNE, February 25. The Minister of Lands (Mr G. W. Forbes) last week inspected Te Wera block, the Government acquisition of which was the cause of much comment. Mr Forbes was greatly impressed with the locality of the block and the condition of the land and stock. Before it is again thrown open for selection the access roads will be completed. It was reported to the Minister that since the withdrawal of the block a number of applications from intending settlers had been received. Au area of 9285 acres is now carrying over 10,000 sheep and 1200 cattle.

MR RANSOM MILDLY’ REBUKED. WELLINGTON, February 27. For his recent utterances in the north relative to the unemployed and land settlement the Minister of Public Works (Mr E. A. Ransom) was mildly rebuked by the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) to-day when speaking at the annual luncheon of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation. The Prime Minister said the Government could not allow unemployment to go on in the way it was at present. The aim of the Government was to bring about, in conjunction with the completion of the railways, a sensible system of land settlement. — (Applause.)

“The Minister of Public Works,” the 1 rime Minister added, “ was voicing, his own peisonal opinion when he discussed the matter at Auckland. He was not speaking for the Government. I want to remove that impression.” The Minister of Lands, continued Sir Joseph Ward, was at present obtaining information as to the lands available, and what the Government was shaping’ for was a land settlement scheme which would enable the men making up the ranks of the unemployed to obtain, with Government assistance, homes on comparatively small holdings and thus remese them permanentiy from the ranks of excess labour