CLOSER SETTLEMENT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 33, 9 February 1937, Page 6

CLOSER SETTLEMENT

Sir,—For years past, you, your contemporary and I, have been agitating for a move to be made to put more people on the land. I have shown that the population on land adjacent to Wansanui has remained stationary for the past thirty years, also that at other places the rural population has increased by leaps and bounds, thereby causing the towns to progress. A short time back, before several members of Parliament, T had something to say on this subject, and among other matters, instanced the progress that Hamilton was making. I drew attention to the good work that a Mr D. V. Bryant was doing, in the interest of the unemployed and his home town. I have just received a letter from Mr Bryant, also a bal-ance-sheet from the Waikato Land Settlement Society and from the same find that, the societv has obtained, by purchase and gift. 7622 acres of land, mostly unimproved to start with. By co-operative labour, largely from unemployed ranks, the land has been improved to such an extent that 32 families will be settled on same in the near future, each provided with house and stock. It would make these remarks too long to detail all facts connected with this splendid scheme. Mr Bryant is supported by many of the leading citizens of the surrounding districts and to show that the idea has taken root, the Government recently decided to assist by chean money and a nominee representing it will join the board.

I have no hesitation in saying that there is ample scope for such an organisation in the Wanganui district, for unless something is done to augment the rural 'population the city cannot possibly expand. Close to the city, there is a large area of land, at present useless, and every year becoming more so rti account of being overrun with noxious weeds and no attempt to check same. That this state of affairs can be checked is proved as instanced on land adjacent to Hamilton.—l am. etc., J. SIDDELLS. 8/2/37.