POOR LANDS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 269, 7 August 1920, Page 8

POOR LANDS

THE DEVELOPMENT SCHEME FREEHOLD OF ENDOWMENTS A statement concerning one of tlio provisions of this session's Land Bill iras made in the House of Representatives by the Minister 'of Lands (Mr. Guthrie) in reply to a question about soldiers' settlements. The Government had taken power during the last session, said Mr. Guthrie, lo place soldiers on poor, unimproved land under the homestead system, the idea being to assist the soldiers and at Hit, same time develop tho poor lands of tho Dominions Experience had shown that men could not succeed on these poor lands without financial assistance, and provision had been made accordingly. But then the Government had found itself up against tho fact that the poor lands wero national endowment land, and could not be alienated. "I am going to give the House a chance this yenr to give 1110 an opportunity to put into full effect tho Government's proposals," said Mr. Guthrie, "by removing the restriction of the national endowments—not to rob the endowment, I but to give people the right, if they 'break this land into productivity, to make the land their own. If tho House supports me I will Jo that this session. encouragmTbuilders A SUBSIDY NOT APPROVED. A suggestion that the Government should encourage tho building of homes by granting a subsidy to builders on new dwelling houses was idjkl© in tlic House of Representatives by Mr J P. Luke (Wellington North). The British Government, stwl Mr. Luke, was paying a subsidy of <£150 per houso to .private builders. , ,~' ~, .. „ Mr -Massev replied that the New Zealand Government would liavo to consider the matter very seriously. More adopting any scliemo of the kind, ilie Government had undertaken a largo amount of building on its own account, and it had lent money to local bodies, so far as the funds of tho country would permit, for the erection of houses at less than current rates of Interest. Local bodies were encouraged to biuld as many homes as possible. Ho was only sorry tho Government was not able to lend more money for the purpose. Mr'.Massey ndded that he would look into tho matter but he could not promise that New Zealand would follow Britain s example in tho payment of a bonus.