LAND PROBLEMS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 24 June 1926, Page 5

LAND PROBLEMS.

DIFFICULTIES STATED BY MINISTER. (Special to the “Herald.”) WELLINGTON, June 22. Some remarks on tliu difficulties of land settlement and development in New Zealand were made by the .Minister of Lands (Hon. A. l). MeLeod) in the House to-night. The .Minister said he agreed that the success of men in cities depended on that ot the men on the. Jiinu, and vice versa. Tie had never, opposed secondary industries, and had said on more j than one- occasion that great expenditure on hydro-electric works in this country could never be .instilled unless it meant a lorward step in secondary industries. He pointed out that it would not he fair to bring out immigrants and settle them on difficult land in conditions Which they knew nothing about. It. might be that, there was a burden which could fairly l)o placed on the snouklers of the community in asking it to stand a proportion jot the toss incurred in bringing undeveloped lands into production, hut that was a proposition that would have to be very carefully considered. It might bo necessary to write aft' 10 per cent, of the cost in regard to the settlement of soldiers, but if they were going to place inexperienced men or men without cash on to gum and swamp lands, 10', 15, or even 25 per cent, would ho insufficient to meet the charge which would fall upon the community in carrying the loss which would occur. Land values were still to high, continued the Minister. When it could be said that a. degree of stability had been arrived at in regard to. export values, then the Government could safely go into tlie question of the acquisition of land by negotiations or by compulsion. He said with the full authority of the Government that it would not hesitate to put the compulsory clauses of the Laud Act into operation, but ho was not going into Court with values jumping up and down as they had been lately, because lie knew what the decision would be, and that he would be salted.

Mr W. E. Parry: “Then we have l'oncbet] a dead end?” The Minister said there was a lot of settlemc/nh going on to-day, but they could not get men who were game to take on land under the present conditions of export values of produce. There was only a certain proportion of what the land produced which could be divided up amongst the community generally, and a man working 44 hours a week in town could get his share much easier than by working on the land, consequently lie preferred to stay in the town. It he went oil to the land he would have to work much, longer than the Arbitration Court hours, and work harder than the man in the cities. He felt sure that those in the Opposition benches would not subscribe to a policy of taking from •any man his land at anything below its val^|.