LAND SETTLEMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15313, 14 August 1923, Page 6

LAND SETTLEMENT.

IMMIGRATION ADVOCATED

INCREASING PROSPERITY,

MEETING HELD IN HAMILTON,

With a view to influencing public opinion in favour of the passing of legislation dealing with the closer settlement of New Zealand’s waste lands, several representatives of the Immigration and Land Settlement League addressed a fairly well attended meeting of representative citizens and country dwellers held under the auspices of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce in the Borough Council Chambers last evening. The delegates —Messrs A. E. Spencer (president of the League), A. S. Trane (secretary), A. R. Harding, A. St. C. Brown, P. McCurnow, and Captain Colbeck—spoke in convincing manner of the objects of the League as already outlined.

In extending a welcome to the representatives 'of the League, Mr A. M. Bisley (chairman of the Chamber) said that New Zealand was vitally interested in land settlement, and every immigrant that came into the country meant more capital for the Dominion. Mr Spence said that New Zealand at the present time was in a very sore position through under production, and the only way of increasing the output was to settle the great areas of what was at present waste land to be seen almost everywhere in the Dominion. Great Britain, however, had a surplus population, and the Imperial Government had accordingly voted £40,000,000 for land settlement with which to assist the Dominions in settling immigrants from the Old Country. New [Zealand, however, had as yet failed to take advantage of the scheme, and if the Government would only rise to its responsibilities the country would increase in prosperity. Under the settlement scheme indicated men were settled in different blocks of land and were obliged to work for a time for the Government for a living, while at the same time improving the land which they would later take over as farms.

Captain Colbeck said that the public had heard a great deal of late about farmers having too much land, but he would like to go a step further and state 'that New Zealand had far too much land for its needs. The Official Year Book revealed the fact that there was a total area of 66 million acres in the Dominion. Out of this total only 18 million acres of ground was in cultivation, 14 million acres in natural grasses, and the balance tin ferns, bush, etc. This showed clearly the necessity for immigration, for if New Zealand was to rise to the utmost height of prosperity, land must not be allowed to lie in a state of idleness. Captain Colbeck stated that while favouring immigration, it should yet be remembered that it was useless bringing men out from the Old Country unless tlie burden at present weighing so heavily upon the farmers already in the Dominion was lifted. Remarking on the great areas at present waiting development, the speaker mentioned that there were nearly two million acres of land lying idle on the Taupo Plains. However, nothing could be done until a railway line was run through enabling fertilisers and supplies to be brought on to the land at reasonable cost.

Mr Trane spoke of the trend of the population from the country to the towns. The number of people living in towns was 60 per cent of the total population, and accordingly politicians in their search for votes naturally had a leaning towards the towns. Until the town dwellers were made to realise that they merely existed as a result of tho efforts of the farmers, nothing tangible would be done in forcing parliamentarians to pass legislation concerning land settlement. Other parts of Britain overseas were taking advantage of the Old Country’s offer to give half the cost of settling immigrants on tho land. The only way was to get public opinion behind the movement and then politicians would wake up and give effect to the people’s wishes. Mr A. E. Harding also spoke of the aims and objects of the League, dealing at length with the necessity of first of all administering to .the needs of the farmers already in the country. The present laws of the country hit the agriculturist hard, for what with land tax and company tax he was hard put to it to make ends meet. It was useless to bring other farmers out to New Zealand to also bear the burden under which agriculturists were suffering. Capital was being steadily withdrawn from the land and being put into the cities. Unless the country was financed and the grass made to grow in the country to the profit of the farmer, grass would grow in the streets of the city. The prosperity of the town was closely bound up with the prosperity of the city. In Denmark, whore tho agriculturist was on top, tho population as a whole was tne most prosperous in the world. Although the country was only half tha size of the Auckland Province it supported a population of something like ten millions. In Denmark, farmc'S were able to secure money at a cheap rale, and as this was the main tool with which the agriculturist worked the prosperity of the Danish farmer was easily explained. Mr Brown said that quite apart from the good that immigration would do r or the Dominion, New Zealand had a duty to perform in granting Groat Britain an outlet for her teeming millions. The little country of New Zealand owed many things to England, and looked lo her for protection from foreign invasion. Mr Curnow said that the overhead expenses of the Dominion had grown far beyond the value of Iter products. He stressed Hie importance of land settlement as remedying this unhappy slate of affairs. While New Zealand farmers were being' crushed under the burden they had to hear agriculturists in other countries were making hay while tiie sun shone. New Zealand was going hack, and unless the condition of the farmer was improved and the way opened up for increased production an impasse would be reached.

At tiiis stage Air Bisiey moved the following recommendations: “That Ibis chamber, being strongly impressed with the necessity for a strong forward land settlement policy, appoint forthwith a commiltee lo confer with the representatives of the Now Zealand Immigration and Land Settlement League with a view to organising a strong campaign in support of the league’s objects.”

in seconding the motion Mr J. Gilbert said that if New Zealand would not take English immigrants in they would have lo go to foreign countries, and thus British capital would be lost to the Dominion. Tho speaker dealt at length with the disinclination of the different financial institutions to lend money on land.

Mr Seymour also spoke in favour of the movement, dealing in particular with the difficulties which farmers

were at the present time placed. lie also spoke at length on the subject of rarrnlng economics, stressing the importance of closer land settlement as a means of maintaining a sound financial equilibrium. Mr W. Lee Martin criticised tbe members of the league for being so pessimistic about lot of the Now Zealand farmer at the present time. He thought that they should be more optimistic, and endeavour to create a better feeling amongst the farmers. In the past many of the Immigrants who carne out knew nothing about the land and later they drifted into tlie cities.

Mr G. Alcorn, representing tbe Putaruru District Development League spoke in favour of the scheme, instancing the case of Ills district, which contained large areas of land at present only awaiting development. Major Whyte wanted to know whether any provision was being made for New Zealand’s own sons. If there was so much land lying idle why not open it up for young New Zealanders? Members of the league assured Major Whyte that it was proposed to make every provision for young New Zealanders. No effort should be spared in inducing o-ur own sons to take up land. One salient point of the advantage of immigration was that the greater the population the lighter ■the public debt rested upon the individual. Mr S. Lye spoke in favour of the scheme, making reference to the need for improving the lot of the backblocks settlers. Mr Bisley remarked that before they obtained capital from the Old Country, they should endeavour to convince the public that the best investment was the broad acre. He would like to -see all present form themselves into a committee with power to elect an executive to further the aims of the Settlement League. A big public meeting of town and country dwellers could then be called, and ■the objects of the scheme -be outlined further. ~ , Mr Bisley’s motion was then carried unanimously, and a committee was elected, with Mr J. Gilbert as convenor. , Votes of thanks to the speakers concluded a successful meeting.