INSUFFICIENT LAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12754, 25 September 1919, Page 3

INS UFFICIENT LAND.

FOR SETTLING SOLDIERS, CANTERBURY’S HANDICAP. Although the Canterbury Bepatria- ! tion Board has no powers in connection. I with the settlement of discharged soldiers on the land, it has on frequent occasions discussed the question, in : view of the large number of discharged soldiers, anxious to settle on the land, who have been doing nothing since their return owing to not being able to obtain land from the Government, At. last night’s meeting of the board the matter was again discussed, and a committee was set up -o ctaß a conference for the purpose of going into the matter thoroughly. Mr N. B. M’Calium said that he considered the time had come when more intense settlement of tbo land should bo made in order that soldiers should have a better chance of becoming farmers It was regrettable tbgi so many discharged soldiers, who were desirous jf going on the land, should bo unable to get thero owing to the small amount available compared with the demand. New Zealand was missing a grand opportunity in not settlin,these men at once. it was, of course, quite true that all the men seeking land were not farmers when they wentaway, but the groat majority were quite capable, of making a success of farmingHe considered that the only way uj pay tire taxes of the country was to get every available acre settled at once At present men were going to the North Island and ev<jn to Australia because they could not _get land in Canterbury—not that the conditions were any better, but because more laud was available. The Land Board was doing good work, and he had no grudge against the members of it, but the plain fact was that it was unable to cope with the great amount- of work with which it was confronted. Another Land Purchase Board should be set up to assist the present board in purchasing land, and ho believed that if the Repatriation Board went about the matter properly, it would receive the suppmU of other bodies throughout the country. There was a great cry for land in Canterbury and as much land should be opened in this province as in other places. He moved the following resolution:—“ That in view of the ever-increasing demand for land in Canterbury, this board desires to again bring under the notice of the Minister ol Lands the immediate and urgent necessity of setting up a Land Purchase Board in Canterbury, to expedite the purchase of suitable land tor the settlement of soldiers, together with the increased staffs which would be necessary.” Th? motion was seconded by Mr C. H. Hewlett, who said that it was high time more land was opened up in Canterbury in view of tlig constant stream of men going north. Mr Howard, in supporting,the resolution, urged that Nfew Zealand should take stock of itself. He had recently been up to Kaikoura-, and what had struck him was the vast areas of land which had- very few sheep on them, ft looked as though they were not devoting sufficient attention to primary producing. Too much time was taken up in boosting up industries, hut ho did not think New Zealand would ever be a groa,t industrial country. The people were flocking to the cities, and a few miles out the country appeared to bo deserted. It would he far bettor from the point of view of „he whole country to train men for the land. Mr P. Davidson said that he felt that the question was one of very great importance and he barf great pleasure in supporting the motion. The country-- must produce and Export as much as possible, as u depended for its future on what came from the land. Mr D. Jones referred to the differences in climate and other conditions in the North Island as compared with, the- South Island. These differences would always exist and would result in many South Island men going up to the North Island At the recent Farmers’ Union Conference, which he had attended in Wellington, the Returned Soldiers’ Association had brought forward excellent proposals which he hoped would be carried out. Referring to the South Island, he said that the- land mentioned by Mr Howard, while appearing to lie . understocked, could not, in most cases, carry more sheep to the acre. There wore in his opinion such largo areas outside of Canterbury which required to h© developed, that ho felt a bit diffident about pressing the claims of Canterbury A mistaken impression had got abroad that men did not like to work for employers in the country, hut ho knew of many cases where married couples working ou farms were better olf than the employers they were working for. As for industrial development, he had always advocated that more attention should be devoted to the development of industries. At the present time New Zetland exported wool to Great Brita'n and America which was manufactured into goods aud came hock to New Zealand againThat should not he the caise, as the country was quite capable of manufacturing its own goods instead of importing them from other countries. Mr W. E. Leadloy said that owing to the small amount of land available' for soldiers in Canterbury, many Canterbury men were going to the North Island. Mr D. Jones: Canterbury men made the North Island. Continuing, Mr Lcadley said that he was in constant communication with discharged soldiers desirous of going on the land, aud there were rumblings of discontent owing to the small amount of land made available for settlement in Canterbury. The chairman (Mr A- W. Jamieson) said that the hoard had in the past confined its attentions to the repatriation of men in industries and had left the land question to the authorities dealing with that matter. But the position had become acute, and hundreds of men were hanging about the city waiting for an opportunity to go on the land. The economic waste was deplorable, and it was time some action was taken by the board. The crux of the position was delay, but from inquiries he had made he did not think the Land Purchase Board, the Lands Board, or the Commissioner and his staff were to blame. They were doing their best, hut they could not cope with any extra work. What was wrong was a lack of proper understanding in the internal organisation- He knew that more land had been offered to the Land Purchase Board than it could deal with, because it did not have enough surveyors. But if there were not enough surveyors of the Lands Department available, private surveyors should be engaged. Canterbury men wanted to settle in Canterbury, and he wanted to see them settled in their own district. Another Land Purchase Board was urgently needed, and he was pleased to see that the Farmers’ Union had supported the proposal. It was necessary that something should be done immediately. The motion was carried, and a committee was set up consisting of Messrs N- B. M’Calium, D. Jones, F. J. Millton and A. W. Jamieson, who were | authorised to call a conference of delegates from the Farmers’ Union, Patriotic Society and kindred associations, for the purpose of discussing what action should he taken.