NOT ENTHUSIASTIC

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1935, Page 7

NOT ENTHUSIASTIC

CABINET AND MIGRATION VISCOUNT BLEDISLOE’S SCHEME. OPINION DEFINITELY AGAINST. “EXAGGERATED TERMS OF VALUE.” (By Wire—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. The scheme suggested by Viscount Bledisloe in the London Times for the formation of a statutory company comparable with the New Zealand Company of Edward Gibbon Wakefield, with a capital of £5,000,000 for the establishment of British migrants on New Zealand farms is unlikely to receive serious attention by the Government at the moment. Ministerial opinion is definitely against such proposals, not on principle, of course, but because land settlement in the Dominion is at present severely checked by the limitations of overseas markets. Reference to the statement attributed to Lord Bledisloe concerning the carry’ jng capacity of land in New Zealand was made in the House of Representatives to-night by Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (Ind., Egmont), who gave notice to ask the Minister of Agriculture whether he had noticed a report in which New Zealand was described in exaggerated terms of value. He asked whether the Government was in any way responsible for a statement that was calculated to mislead people in England. It is understood that Lord Bledisloe’s proposal, as reported in the cables today, was submitted to members of the New Zealand delegation at London recently by representatives of British banks, particularly Lloyd's, and that a' reply was given on the l|nes that the Government of New Zealand would welcome any practical scheme that would encourage an extensive development of industry, but the prevailing economic conditions would make it virtually impossible to consider a scheme such as that suggested even though it was advocated by an enthusiast like Lord Bledlsloe. One Minister said to-day that a great deal more than enthusiasm was required. It was. necessary first of all that New Zealand should be given an assurance of an unlimited market in Great Britain. If the Dominion could be sure of this there would be no difficulty in bringing about an extension of land settlement, There was still wide scope for new settlement, particularly on large areas of marginal land, some of which could be brought into production at a price, but if it were loaded with a capital cost beyond the reach of settlers with limited means the results in the present circumstances would not be profitable to anyone concerned. On the other hand, the expansion of overseas markets would enable New Zealand to make provision for the absorption of several thousand immigrants a year. APPROVAL OF LONDON TIMES. PERMANENT ORGANISATION URGED. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 7.15 p.m. London, Sept, 3. The Times, in a leader, approves of Lord Bledisloe’s proposal for the establishment of a Royal Commission with a scientific and exploratory scope.

The Times urges the establishment of a permanent organisation to collate and analyse information about resources, production, trade and markets for the guidance of Empire Governments,