LAND SETTLEMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20475, 16 April 1938, Page 10

LAND SETTLEMENT.

THE) BRYANT SCHEME VALUE OF VOLUNTEER EFFORT The Wellington Evening Post thus fe land settlement scheme—a throughout New Zealand that the condition of health of Mr D. V. Bryant, founder of the Waikato Land settlement Society, necessitates his retirement from active supervision of the •cherne which bears his name and •which owes much of its success to the time, skill and energy he devoted to it. “The Bryant scheme of land settlement Is. perhaps, the eptest illustration in recent years of the value of the Toluntry effort of citizens in voluntary association to which we referred editorially on Saturday as In damrer of becoming circumscribed and discouraged by th*» growth of bureaucracy. When the depression struck the Waikato some seven years aro a trroup of public-spirited citizens of Hami!f-.:i. led by Mr Bryant, set out to solve tha local problem of unerfli >yment by i plan devised by Mr Bryant for settling the unemployed on the land. The district from Auckland to the King Country was actively cam med to raise an Initial capital of £20,000 for the purchase of land and necessary equipment. From Bcrub to Pasture “Helped by a generous donation of £IO,OOO from the Auckland Savings Bank, Mr Bryant and his team of assocl i • - derelict land was acquired and won back from a wilderness of scrub, fern and ragwort to production by the labours of unemployed m*nt co-oper-atively directed. In a few years the wilderness became a garden, and the lapd, as it came back to cultivation, was subdivided Into farms and allotted to the men and their families who had done the work. Btate Co-operation “The State co-operated by paying the wages at relief work rates to the men engaged in the pioneer task. The system was extended to other areas ■taillarly and has resulted in a large number of families being settled comfortably on the land with the prospect of owning their own farms. Financially the system has paid its way and the assets to-day at a conversative fnluatlon. after meeting all liabilities, •re said to amount to over £50.000. “Throughout the whole period Mr Bryant played a leading part, not only In the direction of the work of settlement, but also In visiting other areas of the Dominion and endeavouring to Comote similar schemes by voluntary :al effort. This heavy burden has evidently taken its toll, and Mr Bryant has been ordered, under medical advice, to take at least twelve months’ rest. The executive of the Waikato society. In the absence of any known person capable of filling Mr Bryant's place, has, with the idea also of getting the scheme extended, enlisted the fuLl co-operation of the Government, which will take over the scheme as it stands. Restricted Freehold “The principal condition is that the policy of what is known as the ‘restricted freehold’ tenure, laid down by the society, shall be continued. This was devised to prevent speculation in the unearned increment in land values. The members of the executive will also continue to act In an advisory capacity and thus maintain the personal contact with settlers which has proved so helpful in the past. It is also hoped that the method can be applied to the working of the smallfarm scheme introduced by the late Government. “With these safeguards there sterns to be a satisfactory prospect that the valuable factor of voluntary effort will be retained la co-operation with the State. There is also the hope that Mr Bryant himself will be able, after a rest, to resume his campaign for the adoption of a plan which has proved so successful in the past.”