GROUP SETTLEMENT

Southland Times, Issue 18618, 16 August 1919, Page 6

GROUP SETTLEMENT

R.SA. SCHEME. PROPOSALS BEFORE MINISTER. (Per United Press Association). WELLINGTON, August 15. The General Secretary of the R.SA. has sent the following letter to the Minister of Lands:—

With reference to our interview with you when you so kindly offered us 40,000 acres of good bush land under the scheme we submitted, this Association heartily thanks you for the offer. We are now taking steps inspect this land and report on its suitability for such settlement. As was suggested, we attach details of the general scheme of settlement which we propose should be put into force. This, of course, would be subject to any alterations which would make for the improvement of such settlement. If our scheme is approved by you, and the land you mention proves to be unsuitable, we would he glad if you will allocate another block. Wo should be also glad if the Government would allocate some blocks of unimproved swamp land, which could be broken up into about 100 sections for dairying and this Association will undertake to provide men itself for settlement under similar conditions, especially providing for the man with no experience who wishes to go on the land.

I would point out, sir, that such a scheme offers the folio-wing advantages:—■ 1. —It settles- men in group? of comrades.

2. —lt allows a man without capital or knowledge of farming to take up land. 3. —lt would bring in land now unproductive.

4.—lt is an efficient means of training on their own farms, men who have no knowledge of the work.

s.—lt is one of the Roundest methods of repatriation for men, who on returning, have found their places in towns filled by women.

6.—lt is cheaper for the Government to advance money to break in unimproved land than to pay high prices, including the unearned increment created by winning the war, - for land in a high state of production.

7. —Soldiers would have the unearned increment, if any, instead of land speculators. 8. —Laud values.

9.—There is no better way of settling soldiers than to place them on the land they have fought for and to provide for their financing and training.

10.—We believe such a scheme to be financially sound and that it is in the best interests of the country generally to upset as little as possible the re-adjustment in employment, which has taken place during the war, by providing the returned men with land that by their labours they may increase our products and enrich our country. The draft proposals for settling a suitable block of say 40,000 acres of native land by returned soldiers are as follow: 1. Tenure to be optional with the right of purchase. 2. Government to survey the blocks into forty sections with a reserve of approximately 50 acres, suitably situated for a centre for a store, dairy factory', school, hall etc.

3. The Returned Soldiers’ Association to select and recommend to the Land Board 40 returned soldiers, 10 with experience in bush felling, dairying and sheep and 30 who need have no such experience. It will not be necessary that any have capital. 4. All settlers to be of suitable age, physically lit and willing to fulfil the conditions of settlement.

5. The Government to provide the necessary capital for felling, burning and grassing and fencing 100 acres on each holding and also the amount necessary for buildings and implements, if required. The price of the land and the cost of these items, together with the cost of reading, if any, usually loaded on such settlement, to oe proportionately loaded on to each section, but to be free of interest for five years and thereafter charged for at the usual rate for interest and sinking fund. (i. Roading and all other work to be done jointly by the settlers at the ordinary contract rates prevailing in the district. So far us is possible, the whole of the arrangements of work and method of carrying it out to be left to the soldiers comprising the settlement for their mutual decision.

7, If possible those selected for settlement to comprise a proportion of carpenters, painters and plumbers, whose services would be available for the construction of all buildings, etc., but such work in no way to interfere with /heir instruction in the duties of farming.

8. If a block contains paying milling timber, arrangements to be made jointly with the settlers for its milling and disposal. 9. Instruction in Farming.—One of the ten ex[>erienced men to be selected on account of his experience and general knowledge to be the superintendent of the settlement until the work of reading, fencing, felling, burning and grassing and instructing is carried out. He is to be responsible to the Lands Department for the proper carrying out of the work and to have the nine other experienced men as his assistants and to be responsible for the class of instruction, of the hours of duration on each evening, whenever such is practicable, and for similar profitable employment during wet days. 10. System of Balloting.—Ten sections to be selected, which are evenly distributed throughout the block, and to be balloted for among the ten experienced men; the other 30 sections to be balloted for among the inexperienced. This is to ensure that the experienced men are distributed amongst the others and immediately available for help and advice. 11. The settlers arc to decide what joint measures they can take in the interest of the settlement in the way of transport, supplies, buying seeds, etc.