LAND HUNGER AT HOME

Wairarapa Daily Times, 22 December 1927, Page 5

LAND HUNGER AT HOME

UNSATISFIED APPLICANTS. CLOSER SETTLEMENT NEEDED. ?ress AssoeLtion-Electrio Telegraph-Copyright. LONDON, Wednesday. Sir. A. IF. Sinclair said in the House of Commons that the sugar beet subsidy teas the only branch in the Government’s policy •which was pursued with vigour, but the ten millions devoted to that purpose might have changed the face of the country if the Government had voted five millions to land settlement, two millions to scientific research, and three millions to advances. The best results from the land necessitated small holdings. There were ten thousand unsatisfied appli-_ cants for land in Scotland, and sixteen thousand in England, but the Government had slowed down on small holdings. They were not fulfilling their pledges to ex-,Service men and were Homing ihe recommendations of their own tribunal. At present the greatest dilliculty in agriculture was the shortage of capital, which was needed for the adoption of land drainage and reclamation.

Sir T. Davies moved an amendment, recognising that Ihe depression was not removable, .and that the Government should take action on sound economic principles. Major G. W. M. Price, seconding Ihe amendment, said the Liberal recommendations amounted to nationalisation. The Jit. Hon. N. Buxton said Labour strongly supported the Liberal motion and expressed the opinion that the farmer would be happier under State ownership. Mr Wnyland said the farmers’ real trouble was that Britain was the world's dumping ground, and the only remedy was not available at present, namely, protection. The Rt. Hon. W. Guinness, replying, said the Opposition’s propositions were impracticable, lie did not agree with the misleading generalisation that there was on a large scale waste and under-cultivation in Britain. Our agricultural wages and yields compared favourably with those of other countries. He was not prepared to argue on the efficiency, of protection. The Liberals proposed to sweep away landlords. Labour ’s estimate of the cost of nationalisation was 740 millions. The Government believed that the root of the trouble the fall in prices, which was beyond control. Mr Lloyd GCorgc said he was in favuor of the State assisting agriculture. It was impossible to extricate agriculture from its present position without a grant. He regretted that Mr Baldwin had not called a conference of all parties to consider the problems of agriculture. There should be financial assistance for farmers for drainage and tc secure cheaper transport. Agriculture would have to be eiiiaiicipatcd from the middleman. Mr Lloyd George was subjected to' considerable interruption recalling his •attacks upon'the landlords when he called rural landlords rapacious. The Liberal motion was defeated by AjS votes to 107. (The Liberal Party’s motion deplored the Government’s failure to restore agriculture.)