The Alternate Land System.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5295, 27 June 1895, Page 1

The Alternate Land System.

Some light has just been thrown on the question of the origin of this admirable system, which the Government of New Zealand has lately been reported to be copying from Victoria. A collection of extracts from tuo apeeohes of the Hon R. J. Seddon has rtcently been made, and from this it is evident that the present Premier is' entitled to the credit of originating the idea of alternate settlement. In a speech delivered in the House in the year 1886, during the Stout- Vogel Government's tenure of office, Mr Seddon referred to the difficulty created by the lack of em- | ployment, and impressed upon the Government and members that no solution cf ... the problem would be found until the Government placed unemployed men upon the land of the colony, allowing them to work half their time upon their own land and employing them on Government works, during the other half of their time. It ia now apparent that Mr Seddon had temporarily forgotten the i remedy which he then prescribed, but that ;t had been carefully noted by some one in Victoria, and had so recommended itself to the Government of that colony that it waa adopted for relief works at Kooweerup, where it has proved a great Buccess.