The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, JULY 3, 1908. LAND SETTLEMENT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13637, 3 July 1908, Page 4

The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, JULY 3, 1908. LAND SETTLEMENT.

Some instructive comments, upon the object of the. land for secernent scheme ■were made by, the Hon. R. McNab.,ui ,the course of An interview in Wellington 'dN& week. N He was replying to the .of _a- city member that, the Government had departed from the intention of the Act in subdividing Culverden into- holdings of excessive area, and' in demanding from applicants the production of 'three years' rent as a guarantee, that they would' be satisfactory tenants. "Why should the State buy land from one rich man and lease ib to another"., was the question • asked by this member, , whose views on the subject aTe apparently in consonance with those expressed by Mr Maslin at Geraldine last week, and by the Leader of the Opposition in his .speech during the debate on the Address-in-Reply ,on Tuesday night. " The Land for' Settlements Act was not helping the small settler ai it should," said Mr Alassey. " The small settler was 'the man who ought, to be helped." \ There is no doubt at all that the idea of the Act was, to help in placing upon the land men of very limited capital who possessed the requisite qualities to become successful selltlers. How far that principle ,has been departed from has been evident from recent subdivisions which evoked the caustic comment quoted above from a member who t sits on the same side of the House as the; Minister whose land policy, he was condemning. In asking why Uhe State should buy. land' from onet rich man in order to lease it to another, Mr Davey was saying ,in other words what Mr Maslin said in his Geraldine speech, that "iu was not the man who wanted to get a start on the bottom rung of the ladder ' that they wished, to help, but "rather the man'who was well - up and in u posifion to help himself." Mr MeNiib's reply is that the ordinary Crown, lands are the place for the man wlio' is starting on the bottom, rung of the ladder; the comfortable and expensive estates which are resumed by the Government .on the credit of the colony are for the man who is well up .the ladder and in a position' to help himself. The Minister's statement on the* point deserves to be given in full, bo that there shall be no mistake about his meaning. The place for the penniless man is' on the, ordinary Crqwn lands, not' on the liighly-improved and cultivated land settlement land's. The demand that men taking up these improved lands should have some capital is absolutely necessary in, the interests of the State. We are not running a • charitable institution in this respect, and the huge .amount of . capital invested the State must be protected. The amount of 'three years' rent, or its equivalent in stock, is a very small capital with which to work a property" such as Culverden. lb is absolutely necessary that before the State allows a< man t& fncur very heavy financial obligations some guarantee should be given that, he can' meet them. A man can - go on to' unimproved Crown land with a ■capital consisting of his own 1 - muscle, an, axe and a -box of matches; but the mail who goes oft., to Culverden wants shock, > hoises, and - be ridiculous to pub a penniless man ."on a section with." an; annual rental of seven or eight shillings per acre. - ' We agree that the interests of the State must be protected, but if the policy ofresuming estates, at .the rate., of"" half v a million a year is to be carried out for the- benefit of those who, as Mr Maslin s'ays, are well enough off to make thenown arrangements, we. immediately. come to the question whether if is wise or necessary for ' the State to pledge its security, and lock, up its capital simply'to ' provide land on easy terms for. people whose circumstances are such that tihey

would have.no great difficulty in making their own'arrangements for a farm. suited to their capital. , If, as Mr-McNab says, we.are not running a charitable institution in one respect, we are in another, and 'if anything in a less, justifiable respect.' If the Crown lands offer all the advantages which am impecunious settler can require, why are the same, advantages not enough for the State to offer to anyone who is desirous of becoming one of its tenants ? Because, one man has money and another has mot, why does it becoma. necessary that the State should buy up for the benefit of the former .expensive blocks of land in the most desirable and 1 accessible situations, ■ while the latter is offered; Grown ; land probably heavily, timbered and destitute 6 ; f roads, bridges or other, means of communication. Surely the man with money would be far. better equipped to do the pioneer work 'on Crownlands than his- less fortunate brother whohi Mr McNab expects to be satisfied ywith.. that share of colonial life. It appears to us that if ordinary Crown land* are good enough for the impecunious applicant, they ought) to be good enough, for the applicant with money, if the latter wants something easier and better, the. State might very well .allow him to provide it. for .himself instead' of pawning for his; benefit. .