Book Notices.

White Ribbon, Volume 1, Issue 4, 1 October 1895, Page 3

Book Notices.

Report on The Settlement of the people on the Land in the Colonies of New South \\ ales, Victoria, South Australia, etc. by J. E. March. “ Now I see the secret of the making of the best persons. It is to grow in the open air, and to eat and sleep with the earth.” — Watt. Whitman. The Labour question is confessedly one of the great problems of the age, affecting, as it does, not simply individuals, but the physical, mental, and moral status of nations. An unemployed person does not only represent a certain amount of unutilized labour. We have to admit the fact that, generally speaking, he is a menace to himself and society at large. Evil breeds more readily in empty chambers. It is therefore clearly one of the first duties of the Government, as the guardian of the people’s welfare, to see that no one person leads an idle life. And the immense superiority of soil-tilling compared with other occupations, for either the under-worked or the over-worked, is generally admitted. The problem is how to bring land and labour together. This problem is now being faced in our own colony, as the Report before us testifies. Early in the present year, Mr March, acting uuder Governmental instructions, visited Australia, and inspected the various village settlements, labour colonies, etc. His report is a lecoiu of facts, with “ an occasional expression of individual opinion thereon.” The mother colony, New South Wales, by no means takes the lead in settling the people on the land. A Land for Settlements Act is not yet on the Statute Book of the colony. In 1893 an Act was passed to establish and regulate labour settlements on Crown lands, providing tor the appointment of Boards of Control, to whom the Crown may lease lands for labour settlements, the said Boards paying a nominal rent of, say, 6d per acre per annum.

The settlers are allowed to nominate four members of the Board. They also receive an advance of from /30 to according to the number in family, such sum to be repaid by yearly instalments, beginning at the expiration of the first four years. So far only three settlements have been established. The partial failure of these three is owing to the fact that the lands selected were of inferior quality, and not sufficiently extensive for the number of settlers placed thereon. Individual rather than co-operative settlement is found the more likely to succeed, unless the settlers are known to each other, and can agree to work together. Mr March evidently considers matters in New South Wales in a very unsatisfactory condition. He says :—“ On the one hand I saw a large army of able-bodied men employed on comparatively unprofitable employment—633 men at work levelling sand for two days, and only accomplishing as much as could be done by a pair of horses and a scoop in one day with a larger army at the Labour Bureau seeking work, and on the other a few sheep trotting over excellent land which would support in comfort hundreds of families.” Work for a considerable number has been found on the old goldfields, some six hundred families having been sent to join the husbands and fathers. That “ fossicking ” is profitable we are assured from the fact that the increase of gold in one year was of the value of In Victoria, in 1893, the large number of unemployed led to the passing of an Act providing for the establishment of village communities, homestead associations, and labour colonies. No fewer than seventy-two village settlements have been formed, representing a population of nearly 7000 persons; and where the soil is good and the locality suitable they have been a marked success. The settlers are happy, healthy, and comfortable, and few indeed would on any consideration go back to a town life. The allotments vary from three to twenty acres. Permissive occupancy only is given for the first three years at a nominal rental —6d per acre. An advance of is granted to each settler to aid in house-building, fencing, &c. At the end of twenty years the freehold may be obtained, provided all amounts due to the Crown have been paid. At Koo-wee-rup village settlement and a great Government work (drainage of the Koo-wee-rup swamp) are carried on simultaneously. Areas of 20-acre lots have been surveyed on either side of the drain, and the men are employed for a fortnight on the drainage works, and a fortnight on their allotments. The swamp contains some 52,900 acres, and it is hoped that, by the time the works are finished, the men will have established themselves. Each settler has a permit to occupy

his allotment for three years. At the expiry of that term he will receive a lease, and be called on to pay rent (4/- or 5/- per acre). A Homestead Association signifies a number of persons (not less than six), who may be desirous of settling on adjacent blocks of land, no settler holding more than 50 acres. In Victoria, unfortunately, these associations have not proved a success. The Labour Colony at Leongatha has, on the other hand, turned out remarkably well since Colonel Goldstein generously took charge in 1894 as honorary Superintendent. Mr March notes the objects of the establishment of the colony to be the following:—(1.) To provide employment for the unemployed. (2.) To enable citizens to direct “ unemployed ” labour to a place where they can obtain good food and shelter, and a wage according to their ability in exchange for their labour. (3.) To prepare them by proper instruction for work on the land. (4.) To obtain more profitable employment for all deserving men at the earliest possible moment. The fact that since the establishment of the colony, in June, 1893, n 0 ewer than 1,307 men have been received from the streets of Melbourne, speaks for itself as to the success of the movement. In South Australia provision is made for homestead blocks and village settlements. The homestead blocks contain on an average about 13 acres (near Adelaide only 5 acres), 2837 blockers holding their land under right of purchase, and 480 on perpetual lease. A small advance is made for buildings and other permanent improvements. The system is undoubtedly a l>oon to working men who can find but partial employment in towns, or on farms, etc. The Village Settlement Association scheme of South Australia Mr March chaiacterises as a new departure, and one of the most interesting systems of land settlement he has seen. The Land Settlement Aid Society was formed to assist the Government in its attempt to solve the unemployed question. All classes have helped, “ the squatter sending 1000 sheep, and the wage-earner his packet of cornflour.” Space fobids our giving particulars of these happy settlements, with their co-operative works, and possessions in common. Suffice it to say that a small army of almost destitute men, women, and children have been lifted from streets and highways of cities, and made selfsupporting and self-reliant. The value of such work to the nation cannot be over-estimated. “ Supper Flies,” and other Ticccs, by Louisa Blake. Many kindly and some noble thoughts run through this little volume. The sentiments which

inspire “ The Milky W r ay,” “ Thy Brother s Blood,” and other verses, reflect the graciousness of a very fine humanity. We may be allowed to subjoin the quatrains entitled “ Wishing.” WISHING. Why should mankind for ever wish Their friends a dainty mental dish? Nay ! rather wish them opening eyes Until the day of death’s surprise. Yea ! when the heart’s desire is stilled, Most surely then a grave is filled ; On wings of wishing men should rise Till from the earth cease anguished cries. Content! we take thee by the throat, Till every man is in the boat; And on the sea of life is seen No more the shipwrecked “ might have t»oen.”