WORKERS ON THE LAND

Taranaki Daily News, 20 February 1932, Page 7

WORKERS ON THE LAND

SCHEME FOR SETTLEMENT. ADAPTATION OF OLD ACT, Hamilton, Feb. 19-

A scheme for the settlement of unemployed workers on the land has been prepared in detail by some of the members of the Waikato Social Welfare League, in conjunction with representatives of the unemployed, and has ben submitted to the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister in Charge of Unemployment. It is proposed that the regulations under "The Land Settlement Finance Act, 1909,” as published in the New Zealand Gazette, of December, 1914, be’ adapted and made applicable to the requirements of the present time. The suggestions of the league form a reply to » letter written by the Minister of Lands on January 28 in which he stated that there was practically no provision for group settlement on a co-operative basis in the land laws of the .Dominion. -The Minister of Lands also stated “that having regard to the lack of local experiencein this connection and the well-known individulaistic temperament of the people of this country,” any such scheme “requires very careful consideration.”

The. Waikato Social Welfare League, through its chairman, Mr. H. Valder, now suggests to the Minister in charge of Unemployment that a group settlement scheme based on methods similar to those employed by Sir Apirana Ng&ta for the settlement of the native race, might well be used for the settlement of the white race. The only difference was that in the former the natives had th# land ready for starting group settlement, whereas in the latter the land would have to be found. The problem therefore was for the community to provide the land on which to settle the unemployed. It was with this end in view that the suggestions of the league were submitted. .

The principal features of the scheme were: (1) Providing land in the Waikato for the unemployed; (2) forming associations for group settlement; (3) setting up a board of control of a similar nature to the Rural Credits Board; (4) financing the scheme by the issue of bonds with a State guarantee. Mr. Valder further suggests that a member of the Unemployment Board should visit Hamilton and investigate the scheme with the' promoters and inspect the land which might be- made available for -the project.

A memorandum setting out the. ways and means by which the scheme could be carried has also been forwarded to Mr. Coates. Dealing with the financing of the purchase of suitable areas, it is suggested by the promoters that money might be raised by one or more of th© following methods: (1) By the issue of State-guaranteed bonds similar to British 4 per cent. Victory bonds, which are redeemed at par by ballot at ’short intervals and are available for death duties; (2)1 by exercise of the provisions of section 37 of “The Land Laws Amendnient Act, 1929”; (3) by capitalisation o’f , the unemployment levy. ’lt would .be necessary to make provision for the im-s mediate living expenses of the settlers,, and it is suggested that they be paid unemployed relief wages-for 12 months. The required land might be obtained' from the following sources: Lands for-, feited to public department® such as the State Advances Office and the Public Trust Office, and Crown lands and private lands not producing up to capacity. It is proposed to set up district group settlement boards to control the various groups. Such boards would be vested with similar powers to the Rural Credits Boards or the old Efficiency .Boards.

Mr. Coates is asked to state whether he thought the scheme outlined was likely to meet the need which ujjdoubt- - edly existed for some, form of land set- ' tlement which could ba put into operation immediately.