SETTLING THE LAND

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 304, 19 September 1919, Page 10

SETTLING THE LAND

USA'S PROPOSALS

FARMERS ASKED FOR SUPPORT A deputation from the Returned Soldiers' Association waited on the conference of tho New Zealand Farmers' Union yesterday to ask Che support ot tho union in urging tho Government to adopt tho land policy propounded by tho association.

Mr. D. J. B. Seymour, general secretary of tho New Zealand Relumed Sci.diers' Association, said that the association had been tackling the land problem from tho point of view of increasing the* production ot the country. An compared with 1914, New Zealand was 10,000 men short of its innn-power. Jf production was to bo increased they must get more men on tho land, and he believed thorn were sufficient men about the towns who should be on tho land. (Hear, hear.) The problem of getting tho soldier on to the land was urgent, and the Government had not comprehensively grasped the position. Had n sound land policy been brought down he was sure tbAc more men - would have been on the land Wore now.. If'they couul get the. confidence of tho returned men more of them would booh go on to tlie land? Tho present machinery was not working well. Ho knew flaaes of men who had been trying for (us months to get land, but had been unsuccessful!'. As a consequence some inetf, who were good settlers, had left for Australia to try to obtain land there. Thero was a genuino land-hunger amongst returned soldiers. Some of the blocks acquired by tho Government wero not suitable for settlement by returned men, and ho was under the impression that the Government wanted to. unburdon that land on to the soldiers before obtaining any other aroas. The association desired the Farmers' Union to hellp the soldiers in obtaining land; but it felt that the principle of obtaining land by means of a commandeer, such as had been suggested, was in no way desirnUe. , Colonel G. Mitchell, organiser for tho Wellington Provincial R.S.A., laid before the conference.the New Zealand Association's scheme of settling bush land in blocks, details of which have been laid before tho public on previous occasions.. Some of tho prices being asked for improved land to-day, he said, were too nigh, and it was feared that if a slump came the. responsibility would fall back upon tho".Government. Men who were returning now were mostly fit, and many of thein would go on to backblock land if they got tho .opportunity to do so. Tho 'association felt that it would bo better to get the soldier on to undeveloped areas and bring them into a tjtato of productivity, rather than to place them on improved Cand which hod been obrj'.ined at high values. (Hear, hear.) Tho association proposed that the Government should hand over various areas of Crown land, the Urowera Country, for instance, which could, be settled by-returned soldiers in blocks. Light railways could bs run through the lands, and these would be tho forerunner of broad-gauge railway? when tho lands had been more fully developed. A delegate: Do you want the Government lo give you the whole of the Urewera Country?

Colonel Mitchell :"Well, as much as they wilt give us." If tho soldiers were nettled in blocks they could rond the districts themselves, if tho Government said that it had no' labour to do the work. The soldiers wero used to ' outdoor, life and digging—(laughter)— and thousands of them would not bo content to go hack and sell lace over a counter; Men who had lind no previous experience in fanning could receive the necessary instruction, and could bo sufficiently distributed amongst experienced men so thnt they could receive instruction and advice. Already, the association had applications from about 100 men who were anxious to take up land under the association's proposals. The scheme he had outlined was what the association was urging tho Government to adopt. The Government was losing a wonderful opportunity by not gathering up all the spn/o man-power there.was in the country and using it to bring tho land into.a- greater state of productivity. (Hear, hear.) In the course of a. general discussion, Mr. J. A. M'Leavey (Wellington) urged that the Government should give busn hind to tho returned soldiers free. Tho right-men should he found to go on thu land, otherwise they might lie disappointed and return to the towns dissatisfied.

Mr. D. Jones (North Canterbury) moved: "Thnt this conference is in full sympathy with' tho returned soldiers in their desire to get upon tho land, and are prepared to actively assist their association in their efforts to secure undeveloped land." Tho scheme proposed by the association, ho said, was v nothing more than that carried out by tho early settlers, mid no better policy could be found. Mr. J. H, Joll (Hawke's Bay) seconded the motion, and said lie heartily supported the association's schemo. . . Mr. George Sheat (Dunsamlel) suggested that priority in seiccting land should bo given to men who had seen actual lighting. Men who had done most in the war sliouOd receive consideration before men whose regimental numbers were in (ho. 80,fl00's, nnd who hnd donft nothing more than have a trin to Blighty, Sir James Wilson (president) thought th 1 ? association should consider tho question of siettlin": men in smaller areas than were proposed. He considered that better results would be obtained by this method. Adverting to the. -point mentioned by Mr. Shear. Colonel Mitchell said it was hard In' discriminate between the service the 'soldiprs had Been. "What we want," he added, "is to get all returned men on Hie land." (Hear, bear.) The resolution was carried nnnnimousfly, and the delegates rose and gave threo cheers for the returned soldier;.