LAND SETTLEMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17168, 2 August 1927, Page 8

LAND SETTLEMENT.

HOW NOT TO DO IT.

WAIKATO MEMBER'S VIEWS.

Mr D. S. Rcid, member for Waikato, referring in his speech on the Address-ia-Rcply fo laiifl settlement, said: —

Now, in conncclion with land settlement, it is a very.hard task at the present time to settle the Grown lands. The Government have been urged to purchase large estates of good land held by private individuals. I hope, Ihcy will not do so. although thai land h'ehi in one area may be paying its way. The tremendous cost of every thing required to bring it into a stale. I for the small farmer to lake it over lis quite out of the question. Belter ! far lo have one large landholder payI ing large faxes to the State than a dozen small farmers who are discontented and everlastingly appealing to the Government for a reduction. When the time comes thai the land is required, put a greater lax on the large holdings, let Ihe owners undertake the disposal of the lands, and if there is a loss lei Ihem bear the burden and not the taxpayer of the Dominion, as has been done in the past. While we have idle crown lands they are the first lo be settled, and Hie attitude taken up by the .Minister of Lands lo endeavour to keep the men who are on the land there before attempting to settle oilier lands is the right one. The. honourable' member for Wanganui said that the Reform parly came into power wilh a great blaze of trumpets and a cry of settlement, more settlement, and more settlement. I would ask 1 lie honourable member whether he forgets that we had a great war, and what might have been a great success, owing to the war turned out a complete failure, and this does not only apply to land settlement, but many other undertakings.

Now, sir, with regard lo land settlement in my own area.. The areas that have, caused myself and the Minister of Lands the greatest trouble and worry was land settled, or being undertaken for settlement, many years ago 'by the old Liberal parly. The Minister of Lands of Lo-day is accused of making a mess of it, whereas lie has actually had Ihe cleaning up to do. I am not blaming Ihe Liberal parly, I am sure they did it with the best intention and in what they believed to be in the best interests of the Dominion, and had times been normal they would have come out all right. Land settlement at the present time requires careful handling. When the high, cost of farm requirements comes down, produce at payable prices, and (he life of the farmer made belter, there will be no difficulty in settling our lands, but, it is. not so bad as many people would have us realise. .... Another matter that I think is penalising Ihc farmer, and which I think to a certain extent is preventing closer settlement, is Ihe imposition of the gift-duty. I think that duly i.s altogether wrong, and is preventing many farmers' sons from staying on the land. There are many farmers who have their properties free, and would willingly cut them up and give a portion to their sons. However, the amount of cash required by way of gift-duty prevents them from doing so, with the result that the sons in many cases leave the farm and go to the town. It is all very well telling a young fellow that he will get, it some day—perhaps in thirty or forty years' time —but that is no good to any young man. In many cases the sons have worked for years on the farm and have helped lo bring it up to its present-day value. Who is there that will make more successful men on the land than the boy that has been brought up on the farm, he knows his work and Ihe local conditions. Surely It would be much better to have the farm divided into three or four farms and have successful settlers, than to have it held by one. I claim that Ihe farmer should be allowed to divide his farm in thfs way, free of gift-duty, and it would be good business for the i State.