SETTLING BUSH LAND

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 40, 16 August 1919, Page 13

SETTLING BUSH LAND

NEW R.S.A. SCHEME

Details of the R.S.A. scheme for the settlement of bush or native land by returned soldiers have been submitted by Mr. D. Seymour, general secretary of the New Zealand Association, in a letter to the Minister of Lands.

"With reference to our. interview with you, when you so kindly offered us 40,000 acres of good bush land, under the scheme we submitted, this association heartily thanks you for the offer," writes Mr. Seymour. "We are now taking steps to inspect this laud and re-:1 port on its suitability for such settlement as was suggested. We attach the general scheme of settlement which we propose should be put into force; this, •of course, would be subject to any alterations which would make for the improvement of such a settlement. If our scheme is approved by you, and the land you mention proves to be unsuitable, we would be glad- if you will allocate another block. We should be also glad if the Government, would1 allocate some blocks of unimproved swamp land which couldi be broken up into about 100 sections for dairying, and this association will undertake to provide men for the settlement under similar conditions, especially providing for the man with no experience who wishes to go on' the land. The following are the draft proposals for settling a suitable block of, say, 40,000 acres of Native land by returned soldiers ;— 1. Tenure.—The tenure to be optional with right of purchase. 2. The Government to survey the block into 40 sections, with a reserve of approximately 50 acres, suitably situated for a centre for store, dairy factory, school, hall, etc. 3: The Returned Soldiers' Association to select and recommend to the Land Board 40 returned soldiers, 10 with experience in bush-felling, dairying, and sheep, and 30 who need have no such experience. It will not be necessary that any have capital. 4. All the settlers to be of suitable age, physically fit, and willing to fulfil the conditions of settlement.

5. The Government to provide the necessary capital for felling,' burning, and grassing and fencing 100 acres on each holding; also the amount- necessary for buildings and implements required. The price of the land, and the cost of these items, together with the cost of roading, if any, usually loaded on such settlements, to be proportionately loaded on to each section, but to be free,of interest for five years, and thereafter charged for at the usual rate of interest and sinking' fund. •

6. The roading and all other work to be done jointly by the settlers at the ordinary contract rates prevailing in the district, So far as is possible, the'whole of the arrangements of work and method of carrying it out to be left to the soldiers comprising the settlement for their mutual decision.

7. If possible, those selected for the settlement to comprise a proportion of carpenters, painters, and plumbers, whose services wouldl be available for the construction of all buildings, etc., but such in no way to'interfere with their instruc- : tion in the duties of farming.

8. Milling timber. —If the block contains paying milling timber, arrangements to bo made jointly with the settlers for its milling and disposal. 9. Instruction in farming.—On©' of the 10 experienced men to be selected on account of-his experience and general knowledge to be superintendent of the settlement until,the work of roading, fencing, felling, burning, and grassing and instructing are carried out, to be responsible to- the Lands Department for the proper carrying out of the work, to have the nine other experienced men as assistants, and to be responsible for a class of instruction of one. hour duration each evening, .whenever such is practicable, and for similar profitable employment during wet days.

10. System of balloting.—Ton sections to be selected which.are evenly distributed throughout the block, and to be balloted for among the ten experienced men, the other 30 to be balloted for among the inexperienced.. This is to ensure that experienced men are distributed amongst the .others and. immediately available lor ■help and advice.

11. The settlers to decide what joint measures they can take in the interest of the settlement in the way of transport, supplies, buying seed, etc.