WANETD, AN ORIGINAL POLICY.

Colonist, Volume LXII, Issue 15242, 2 December 1919, Page 7

WANETD, AN ORIGINAL POLICY.

(To the Editor of "The Colonist.") Sir, —In reading from flay to -day the icyoris of the s^o^cues oi tiiu iii.i;. = v uuuibcr of a-spirants for political iionours, including iv.'i i.iirco canclimucs f^r the Nelson seat, one cannot but Ijo lmpressoa iiy u;e i'Ciiiai'kauic lack ta iinagiuatiou uispuvyea ))_, the speakera man party of tiici j)'i;in,ju^x!. 'viK) ciinLuuiiLtiij both party a lid iiiueper..deii.i dwell oui,, ' on tne planks laid dorm m Lnc roconu manifestos of the- party leaders, are all agreed aud impressed that we arcpassing through a most critical period j liiianciailv, ami .111 turn try ty impress it 011 tit; uncii it becomes almost monotonous., 'me remedy we arc toiu is increased production, and yet, in not one of bin; reports have i read of oven a theory a-s to how we are to, t;r how we might do ;■.■<), and this at a, time when i believe an aim ok t unprecedented opportunity oiler s itself. 151 m referring to the settling of vdo returned boiujcr. What has bijeu done so far in tnis matter is «imply to buy an improved i'a.-'in and rcseii to a soldier or group of soldiers who settle oil it and Inn kg ii> produce very little wove than before, while tho farmer who has sold and often at an enciiauccci j price, s.';oos to town to retire:, at the .same' feme beir.iug to create a further (icr.iami, and hei:'.,e, a;; iie Will often pay any price or rent/ tile present inliatcd \a,iues l:or city homes. In the .North Island in one'district alono we have 750 (JlnJ acres of virgiii Crown laads containing some of the richest cousitry in New Zealand. In addition, throughout rlie Oomaiion thero are largo areas of Crown aud a!«.> of priv;ue land winch iiiuior Die existing lav/ could bo 'bought by t!io Cioverrinieut for uettieineiit'pLirj;escs. lUtt, say our pt;iii;iciaiis, the returned in en do not want to Le ijurjed in iihj !;;i.c-kblo-;K'.s, iiiid witli vjuk 1 quite airree. ; but is ' tiiore aiiy necessity ror that? J-io. The Panama. Canal was built b\- the I.'niteu States Government thvci!"-]i c;;i:ntry as lo:!eiy j.uid wild-as. any iii the iV.mifiiun, hut bcioro -siang k>\ :-."j'o! ; r'> v.t.s a;iUe;l to 'the tc-v/iiat ;.';t[i:T e;-i;l or tJie propose! canal. ThcMi a i-aiiway was laid along i,jk> i oil to. .At intervals niong tijis viwbxxy villages, sor:io i.v,U!;o;'arv- yam; v:-v\v.:}<.Wii, \> ere ■buiJt. 1;/oil ii\'':-,e vi!i"gcs wyro iueliidecl nubile biMkiings for both business and p:o;->,uro purposes, bta^fce hospitals, schools, pest unices, lioteis, roskmrauts, stores, ti'.eatic.s, hails, were all includocl for the: benout of tho oin-T)io--e:'M w'h) were; to come to work on the ;.;■•/.,!: 'j'ho workers with their families lived in these villages, the men being carried on tho railway to and from thenwork each day. ■Ju this basis I have tuouglit oi the following scheme :—The Government could use Crown, or purchase a, large biock of private land, preferably near an existing railway. It would of course first be surveyed for reading, subdivision etc. Applications would then bo called for the number of returned soid'ors required to settle that biock, to do that following work:—A branch railway to bo laid through the proposed ! settlement, State villages to be built. (The huts and material in the large training camps now unused nnglit be used for this purpose.) Roads ht tor motor traffic constructed; strips of land ', to be .- leared and grassed so that each ! section would have a cleared portion; 1 each section to be fenced ; a central farm to be cleared immediately, and used as an experimental and instructional farm jor that district. The men would receive a regular wage from the Government until this preliminary work was completed. They would live in the villages under pleasant surroundings, and where they could attend instructional training given under the supervision of experts. They v.-ould bo carried to and from tlieir work. ■ When the settlement 1 was ready for occupation and the cost reckoned'it would bo balloted amongst the employees on tho same terms as at present given to returned soldiers. This scheme would, i think, be acceptable to some thousands of men who, as matters stand at present, cannot hope to settle on the laud. It would enable at present inexperienced men to. take up farming. llt would o*pen up new land and thus really help the increased production which we are told is of such vital necessity to our country. It would 'be more economical and considerably reduco the proposed expenditure. This is only a bare outline, but it may commend itself to some more able pen, or perhaps one of our candidates might consider it worthy of attention and remark. Hopi iiior I have not too far encroached on your valuable space, I am, etc., SUVExN BAR. Apploby, November 29th.