LAND SETTLEMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17581, 10 December 1928, Page 9

LAND SETTLEMENT.

DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE. REPORT TO EXECUTIVE. GOOD WORK DONE. The following report was submitted to a meeting of the New Zealand Land Settlement and Development. held at Auckland on Friday last. The problem confronting tins country in connection with land settlement as it has crystallised through mvestitrations carried out by the league is o intense interest. Ur to the present we seem to have attained one positive result in that the subject is in the forefront of public questions of the day. In addition there has been a clearing of the ground and a defining of the outstanding difficulties with suggestions as to how some of these may be met. It seems desirable, however, that a brief statement should be issued at this juncture. The executive is convinced that the increasing returns from the land, as evidenced in Europe and America and the active national campaigns carried on by various countries to obtain suitable settlers, is of vital importance to the Dominion, which, unless immediate steps are taken, will shortly find itself unable to obtain that population which is essential to production on a remunerative basis in relation to the large amount expended in public works. Mr Garvin, one of the Empire s w.Ost famous observers, has solemnly warned the Dominions of the danger of the wells of immigration drying up. Rural Population Stationary. So far as a local supply of young farmers is concerned, it seems obvious even to the most optimistic the rural population is stationary. There are vacancies in the country for men and bovs, but farming opportunities do not appeal. There is undoubted evidence that' this reluctance can be traced to a very large degree to tne fact that under existing conditions there is little chance of proprietorship till late in life. Meetings addressed by the secretary, Mr N. G. Gribble, have indicated that the thoughtful working man and many of those at present employed would gladly welcome any opportunity of getting on to land for merely a subsistence allowance if they might look in three or four years’ time to having their own holdings encumbered only by the actual cost of production establishment. There can be no doubt that £IOOO would be sufficient for this purpose under ordinary circumstances.

There are two sources from which the prospective settler can obtain land. The ordinary seller is seldom able to offer terms which will permit of the impecuni.ous making a start and the State, whilst it offers facilities under the Homestead Act (unimproved lands) and the Land Laws Amendment of 1928 (improved lands), still leaves the man of small means unable to make a start. Experienced Government officers have advised Mr Gribble that if they were able to extend financial assistance in approved cases they could “settle” hundreds of suitable persons. There is a hunger for rural proprietorship which cannot under present conditions be satisfied. It is admitted that official circles report a shortage of Crown lands suitable for large groups of settlers under an assisted scheme, and it would appear desirable that some system of examining and classifying these lands according to. the branch of the farming industry to which they are most suitable should be commenced at once. The Pressing BusinessIn addition lists should be immediately be obtained of lands which the holders are prepared to make available under the Land Laws Amendment 1928. With this information in hand it should be determined by the Government, or preferably by a competent board of enquiry, as to what steps are necessary to utilise the resources available. In (he opinion of the league there has, during the past few years, been a substantial adjustment and rearrangement of rural finance, and the pressing business at this lime would appear to be the settlement of as many suitable persons as possible on the lands as quickly as possible under' some group or zone system. .

The present system of unemployment assistance, either in aid payments or relief works is, in the opinion of the executive, unsatisfactory in that it makes no definite contribution to any measures likely to cure the complaint of which unemployment is merely a symptom. It has been pointed out that the pledging of public resources as security for land settlement loans should, unless relief can be obtained otherwise at once, be seriously considered by the hospital and other public bodies. Any such local efforts should be subsidised by the general Government and all assisted settlement carried out to a plan approved after the closest examination. Misapprehension and Ignorance. In all settlement projects there can be no doubt that the assistance of the Empire Settlement Board and the obligations laid upon the Dominion under a balanced migration for settlement scheme should be fully and sympathetically explored. We need settlers.

and whilst our own folk should come ilrst, suitable migrants from Britain .would be invaluable. There appears to be considerable misapprehension and ignorance abroad as to the urgency of remedial measures. but. the letters received by the secretary and comments through the press and otherwise prove that it is essential that something be done at once. It- appears that many desirable citizens are leaving this country to avail themselves of the facilities found in Australia. Canada and South America of the type which the league is urging should, in some measure at least." be applied to this Dominion. If it is impossible for the Government to obtain the necessary money to assist, the willing but impecunious settler they should seriously consider opening this field to private capital something on the lines suggested at the Wellington deputation to Lord Lovat. The necessary safeguards can be devised, and if the public can once be brought to realise that land is of value only as it produces wealth we shall be on the right road to solution of the problem. It appears to the executive that the league has served a very useful purpose in the moulding of public opinion, and that its activities should be more widely spread and carried out. It has been suggested that the British and New Zealand Governments should give us some official recognition enabling us to fill a substantial function in actually getting settlers on the land. What Could be Done. There is room for a valuable service to he rendered the Dominion at this time in the preparation in simple form of information for prospective settlers: This should cover the opportunities for obtaining land at the present moment and a detailed statement of requirements and costs. It would also be of the utmost v alue if we had sketch plans and brief specifications giving costs of buildings suitable for the new settler. One line at the moment which would be invaluable to the settler and to which it Is hoped private enterprise will give Its attention is an inexpensive silo to enable the farmer to get the most out of his holding by storing ensilage against the winter. But our most important work at the moment appears to be in bringing pressure to bear on the Government so that there may he no sidetracking or postponement for political reasons of the establishment of a suitable scheme of settlement and coincident therewith a migration policy based upon our rural requirements. There are indications that if public opinion is sufficiently stirred the broad lines of such a policy may be agreed upon by the three political groups in the Dominion to-day, and the great national work carried out by a Settlement and Migration Commission of which the League should undoubtedly be the nucleus.