RELIEVING UNEMPLOYED

Taranaki Daily News, 18 November 1930, Page 9

RELIEVING UNEMPLOYED

MR. I. J. BRIDGER’S SCHEME. SUPPORT AT WHANGAMOMONA. The scheme outlined by Mr. Ira J. Bridger, Mayor of Eltham, for the dual purpose of relieving unemployment and the development of the unoccupied lands, of the Dominion received support from the Whangamomona County Council at its meeting yesterday. Particulars of the scheme as already published were forwarded by the Eltham" Borough Council.

■ Councillor Law pointed out that unless a farmer could secure .at least interest on the money he had invested in his farm as well as wages for his work, it was not worth his while farming. ‘ Councillor Ford agreed that farmers should receive more remuneration for the work they did. Until a farmer received more for his work no scheme of land settlement would be a success. No man would go on a farm when he could receive 14s or 15s a day on relief work. Councillor Law agreed that there might be something in the scheme. Even if it cost more to bring the land into production than it actually produced the land would become revenue producing, whereas at present a lot of money was being expended in connection with unemployment that was not revenue producing. He agreed that there was a future for the pumice lands, as he had seen some beautiful farms made out of that -class of land.

The chairman 'agreed that that was the only class of land worth experimenting with. The majority of the bush country left would not be suitable for such . scheme. No doubt a lot of unproductive work was being carried out now merely to find -work for unemployed. Councillor Law considered that if Chinese had the land they would make use oi all of it. They would be growing cabbages on top of the sandstone ridges. He recognised that at present there was not the population to warrant such intensive cultivation. He pointed out, too, that the whole of the revenue of the Dominion came from the soil and it was only by further settlement that unemployment could be done away with.

Councillor Gower held that co-opera-tion between the various Government departments would be necessary to success. The. question of rent should be eliminated-in. some cases, as if a man had to go to work to earn the money to pay his rent the farm would go back. Councillor Newstroski said that no matter which way a farmer turned he was faced with expense and, his overhead charges were too great. Members gave instances where land similar to that under discussion had been brought into ■ production. On the motion of Councillors Law and Ford it was resolved to approve of the scheme of land settlement.