LAND SETTLEMENT

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 237, 8 May 1933, Page 6

LAND SETTLEMENT

Small Farm Schemes Press Association. —Copyright, Wellington, May 7. The efforts being made by the Government to push ahead with land settlement , under the small farms scheme were out- j lined by tire Hon. E. A. Ransom in an j interview yesterday. The procedure to j be followed by people applying for hold- I ings under the scheme was also briefly ; explained. “In view of the limited Crown land available the success of the scheme will largely depend on the amount of private land that can be acquired on lease with the right of purchase,” said the Minister. “The board’s first duty will be to set up local committees to assist it in the administration. Such committees will be appointed at an early date. The work is not at a standstill in the meantime as the Departments of Land and Survey and of Agriculture are cooperating with regard to propositions under the former scheme and will continue to do so in connection with operations under the Act passed last session. “It is therefore competent for any unemployed man eligible for relief to make application by filling in the necessary form, procurable at any post office. The duty of the board is to find sufficient Crown or private land to settle as many applicants as possible. In some cases an owner makes an offer of part or his farm and nominates an unemployed man as the lessee. If the applicants can arrange with the owner for a suitable lease they can assist both themselves and the board and greatly facilitate consideration of the applications Mr. Ransom said he wished to pay tribute to those men who had spent both time and money while acting on the advisory committees under the for- | mer scheme. The Government would be pleased if these men would continue to act in an advisory capacity and submit suggestions and recommendations to the local committees which were shortly to be set up. “In order to assist the scheme I would ask all owners who have lands available and are prepared to lease at reasonable rentals with the right of purchase to submit particulars to the Commissioner of Crown Lands for the district,” concluded Mr. Ransom. “The Act provides for compulsory acquisition by way of lease of private lands, but it is hoped sufficient areas will be available at reas-, onable valuations by negotiation, thus obviating the necessity for compulsion.’