GROUP SETTLEMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 25 August 1931, Page 11

GROUP SETTLEMENT

BUSINESS MEN’S SCHEME. RELIEF OF UNEMPLOYMENT. A new movement to promote group settlement as a measure of unemployment relief and in the general interests of the Dominion has been commenced by a group of Auckland business and professional men. j The proposal'‘is to form'an entirely honspeculative c'ompany with a capital ol '£100,000; which, it is hoped, will.be subscribed : in small parcels by public-spirited people Content'with a definitely- limited retbrh.' The capital will be used to .acquire

blocks of unimproved or partly-improved land for development by men with small capital, who will be assisted to establish themselves upon it. Any increase in value of the land so set-

tled, above the actual cost of the improvement,'will belong to the settlers and not to the company. When the scheme takes more definite shape an endea ourwill be made to obtain help from the Unemployment Fund for maintaining, the prospective settlers while they are engaged in bringing the land into use. The promoters consider that such expenditure should commend itself to the Unemployment Board as a means <sf giving really productive work to a number of men.

The purpose is to subdivide the blocks of land by ballot ' among the applicants when the latter have carried out enough developmental work to make this possible —perhaps two or three years hence. The promoters think the scheme should be particularly suited to young single men who can command a few hundred pounds of capital and who are prepared to live in camps and work together for little more than sustenance until individual, holdings are allotted to them.

Several blocks of moderately good land in the Auckland Province are in view for the purposes of the scheme. It is believed that these will be obtainable at considerably lower prices than those ruling before the present depression. Recently sufficient funds to cover preliminary expenses were subscribed by a number of leading citizens, and men willing to register as prospective group settlers were invited by advertisement to apply on a form giving certain particulars. A large number with farming experience responded and a register has been compiled. An appeal has been made by circular to chambers of commerce and dairy companies for opinions upon the scheme. It is proposed to hold a meeting of subscribers about the end of September, when a report and definite proposals will be submitted. The promoters, in their circular, point out that prosperity will return when the expansion of industry can permanently absorb the unemployed. Nothing but active effort can cause industry to expand and the responsibility for active effort rests on each individual. On the other hand, increasing taxation and decreasing industry means increasing depression.