LAND SETTLEMENT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17203, 8 March 1930, Page 4

LAND SETTLEMENT

GROUP SYSTEM PROGRESS NO LARGE SCHEMES AS YET Though a number of small properties have been dealt with toy the Lands Department under the group settlement scheme, which permits the investment of State funds in the purchase of land lor specified applicants, the department is still waiting for the development of proposals oil a large scale. Apparently many men who want land iiave not yet accustomed themselves to the idea of mutual action in this direction, for it is not long since the Government was assured that if liberal advances were available there would be a distinct wave of new settlement.

Interviewing) the Hon. G» W. Forbes, Minister of Lands and Agriculture, on his arrival in Gisborne last evening, en route to the Coast, a pressman learned that the applications received so far were principally from groups of two, three, or four men, the areas involved being in all cases comparatively small, and the aggregate inconsiderable in relation to the advantages offered to intending settlers. It is understood that one group application in which a large number of men are interested is pending, lout no official steps have been taken yet in this connection. The development of these applications seems to depend upon the initiative of one or two in each group, of course, and probably there are many groups almost complete, and only waiting the impetus to be derived from individual enterprise. On the other hand, there must be a. number of isolated individuals seeking contact with others, and the cultivation of mutual interest in given sections of land. For instance, though there is reported to be a keen demand for settlement land in Poverty Bay, no applications have been received from this district under the group system, whereas if intending settlers could come together and make their tentative selection of land, the department might be called on to take up more than one proposal. HOW THE SCHEME WORKS.

The scheme of group settlement has been fairly thoroughly canvassed, and its points should be well known to those who desire to go oil the land. Any group of two or more applicants, having settled upon the area they wish to acquire, may induce the owner of the land to co-operate with them in an application to the State for advances on the purchase. The Lands Department, on receiving the application, makes its valuation, and the Government stands ready to advance up to 95 per cent, of the valuation, the applicants being required to find the balance according t-o the ratio in which the land is to be subdivided among them. The Minister’s view, representing that of the Government, is that the balance left for the individual to find is the irreducible minimum that any man should be obliged to provide as his stake in the property on which he proposes to settle. The Government is keenly interested in the scheme, and will welcome indications of its more general adoption.

The Minister’s attention was drawn to the fact that flat land on the Poverty Bay flats offered recently toy auction had for the greater part failed to realise the reserves set on the various sections. Mr. Forbes stated in reply to a question that there was nothing to prevent- any intending settlers cooperating in a group application to the Government concerning this land. If the property came under offer to the Government as a group settlement proposal the usual course would be fol-. lowed, including a valuation toy the department’s officers, followed toy fin offer on the part of the Government to Ihe applicants.