BACK BLOCKS SETTLERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16203, 29 November 1926, Page 12

BACK BLOCKS SETTLERS

HARDSHIPS MANY leaving their farms A meeting of Wanganui land and estate agents was held on Wednesday to discuss the serious position which * lias arisen in connection with many of the farmers in the black-blocks who have taken up virgin land. A number of them have been forced to walk off their properties after many years of. toil. Mr. F- Brice (.Marlon) read a lengthy paper pointing out the need for trying to meet tho difficulties of men who took up second and third-class virgin land direct from the Grown or natives, and after many years’ toil and sacrifice of pleasure were compelled, for want of further capital to assist in preventing (heir lands from deterioration, to forfeit- their holdings to their mortgagees.

Mr. 11. G. Dickie, M.P., said it was ! not lack of capital that had caused flic ;position. It, was tho second and third growth that had brought about the dei plot a ble state of affairs. It- was a seri- ! oris problem, and one that, bristled with difficulties as far as the Government was concerned. Tho Speaker said lie would ; Sooner keep an original man on the land Than see another sonic along and take over the property. There were 1157 ’ applicat ions for assistance from people on the land. The Government were prepared to help the people to a certain extent. Already they had sanctioned the sum of £IO,OOO in order to relieve the situation. ’The Government had appointed land boards and they were doing good work. Proceeding, the speaker said there was rio cheap money in the i.world to-day. To his mind they should i write off all the unimproved value on the land. The original man who went on the land deserved every considera- ; tion. In his opinion it was a matter for a conference between the interested parties to see it they could devise some (scheme to remedy the position. In ;conclusion, Mr. Dickie said that- some i people did not, in a. large number of ‘ cases, buy suitable stock for their farms, and they were consequently under a great disadvantage. He would bo only Too pleased to -do all he could to help i them. CRUX OF POSITION. The Hon. E. Newman said it was heart-breaking to see such' numbers of splendid settlers being driven off farms. The whole crux of the position, to his mind, was on account of the hnckblock. farmers not having good metalled roads over which- to convey their produce to the cities. The speaker said the policy of the Government in making first-class ; motor roads to the cities and open country before the backhands had been opened up with good metalled roads was absolutely wrong and should never have been agreed to. It was also wrong .'from an.economic viewpoint. The people of New Zealand have to learn how much they depend upon the producers. Backblock settlements had been starved for money for roads and bridges and other necessities of life, while money has been poured info the towns and cities and expended upon works which should have been held up. The Government should be urged to oppose any increase in the Customs tariff and to institute a purely revenue tariff in place of the present protective tariff. Proceeding, the speaker said metalled roads were of first importance. In conclusion, the speaker said tliero would soon bo plenty of buyers for sheep and cattle in the country at present prices. The fall in the price of stock will bring about this demand, ho concluded. The following resolution was carried: “That this association of land agents, being representatives of the districts from Wanganui to Palmerston North on one side, and from Wanganui to Hawera on the other, as well as a- large district on the Main Trunk line, recommends to tho various chambers of commerce, farmers’ unions, A. ami P. associations, and labor unions in their resuective districts, tho earnest consideration of the vital matters affecting the blackblocks settlers on second and third class lands, which arc rapidly deteriorating, and that prompt action he taken by tho Government to keep settlers from leaving their holdings.