DEPRESSED AREAS

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 383, 15 March 1937, Page 6

DEPRESSED AREAS

LAND SETTLEMENT Lessening of Unemployment. Press Association—Copyright. Rugby, March 12. The House of Commons to-day agreed to the ’ money resolution preliminary to the Government’s Special Areas Bill. The Chancellor of the exechequer spoke in the debate, following Mr D. Lloyd George, who made an appeal for the development of land settlement in depressed areas as a contribution to national defence. Mr. Neville Chamiberliiin cited figures of unemployment in special areas, which had been brought Gown by 120,000 in a little over two years and in South Wales, perhaps the most difficult area, by 20 per cent. It was the policy of the Government to take advantage of the rearmament programme to direct as much at possible into these districts.

Up to the end. of November orders totalling £41,000,000 went to the needy districts, of which £24.000,000 went, to special areas proper. By the end of January those totals were railed to £17,00,000 and £31,000,000 The Chancellor described the advantages the special areas derived from the revival of the iron and steel iffi dustry, from shipping suibsidy and h created shipbuilding, and from the effecti 1 of trade agreements on coal exports. Mr Chamberlain thought the inducements to the location of new industries in special areas which the Government’s Bill would provide would prove effective. He said Mr Lloyd l George had not convinced him that the authorities' were wrong who held that in the matter of land settlement one must go qautiously. It) would be impossible to put half a million people back on the land without raising agricultural prices and destroying relations with the Dominions and foreign producers. As to the defence aspects of agriculture it was not the occasion for him to enter upon, the subject, but they might rest assured that it Was receiving the Government’s' attention.