HELPING SETTLERS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2152, 19 May 1914, Page 7

HELPING SETTLERS

WORK OF THE.LANDS DEPARTMENT. In proposing tho toast of tho Land and Survey Department at a gathering ,of its offieitrs>-'la'4ft(ie\4x(ihg^'t;ilti l 'Piliiil6 Minister emphasised' •' 'the 'important bearing which the work of tho ment had , upon tho progress and welfare of tho'country: The' prosperity of New Zealand, ho said, depended upon its primary industries, and whore would these industries be if it were not for land settlement? In opening up new land for settlement tho surveyors had'to endure hardships, and oven when those duties had been carried out the officers of th ( o Lands and Survey Department had many important tusks to carry out in assisting settlors. He had heard many a settler say that he was indebted to the officers of tho Lands and Survey Department for the assistance they had given him. Now that the Crown lands woro being exhausted, the Government found it. necessary to acquire suitable areas wherover they could, and cut them up for settlement. Everything possiblo would be dono by the Government, to provide land.in this way, and he was sure that every possiblo assistance would be rondored by the Lands and Survey Department. Every officer of the Department should set his eye on what Air. Strauchon had accomplished, and endeavour to emulate it. He could assure them that whore an officer of the Lands and' Survey Department did his duty tho presort head of tho Department would not forgot it. , . ■

Mr. jas. Mackenzie (Under-Secretary of the Lands Department) responded. He said that tho Lands Department was an historic Department, because in every new country the surveyors went hand in hand with, the pioneers. In tho early days of New Zealand tho giants of tho past were connected with the Lands Department. Some of the later men were also giants,- and a number of these giants wore with them that night. Mr. M'Kerrow had discovered and opened' up new country; Air. Humphries, in his day, was soldier and surveyor, too; ami Mr. Percy Smith was in tho same ciass. They all know what Mr. Marchant had done in the way of pushing- on aettiement, as Surveyor-General, and also on the scientilic side of tho work. It was a strange thing that all thesu men, with the exception of their first SurveyorGeneral (Mr. J. T. Thompson) woro halo and hearty to-day. Mr. Thompson was tho only one who had joined tho great majority. As to the present oJliccrs, speaking as the head of tho Department, he wished to say that thore was something ' about surveying and land administration that seemed tn make the mert engaged in it straight, honest, and hard-working. Ho was proud to bo at , the head of tho Department, and was glad that their Minister thought so well of them. The men •tlioy had now woro just as good as over they were, particularly thes young fellows, who were coming on. Ho considered that the men who had heen tough and hardy in tlioir day, but now were getting worn out at fifty should not bo. turned off, but should bo taken out of the field, and given indoor work until such timo as they could claim their pensions. Ho thanked the Prime Minister for the way m which ho had proDosed the toast.