FINDING WORK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 175, 11 August 1937, Page 7

FINDING WORK

- Press A880ciatidn.)

Big Land Development Scheme GOVERNMENT'S PLAN

( By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, Last Night. With a vicw to augmenting the endeavours now being made to provide for the absorption of surplus labour Cabinet decifed at a meeting to-day to make a commencement with (the development of a number of reverted Crown securities aggregating 26,000 acres in area. "On this class of work alone, " sairl the Prime .Minister, "we will be able within the next few woeks to einploy 400 hdditional men and the number will be increased as the scheme expands. Tho number of men at present employed in difiierent branches of land development is as follows: — Earni land development .... 1000 State Eorestry 1100 Native Land development . . 5000 Total 7100 "It may be averred by some critics that this dccision to extcna Wrate land development work will aggravate the alleged sllortage of farm labour. This .aspect haS not been overlooked and airangement3 will be made whereby men from State Forest plantations and in a lesser degrea from land development blocks will be made available for seasonal farm work. "Tho scheme will require a good deal of orgauisation, and co-operation •between the State and loeal branches of the Earmers' Union will be neeSssary to make it a success. The. object of the plan is largcly to reduee State operations during harvest and other periods when the maximum amount" of seasonal work is required and to allow the men to return to State femployment when tkeir services are not required by farmers. The men are thus assured of continuoUs femployment. The systehl will apply in all districts where Stato operations are in progress. "Another branch of land utilisation in which it is expected a large number Of additional mcn will be required is afforestation. Recently the Coinmissioner of State Eorests announced tlie Government's decision to set aside for this purpose an additional 22,000 acres in the Bay of Plenty district and tho work of planting has alrca,dy commenccd. By utilising surplus stocks from tho nursei'ies of thfe State Forest servico in this branch of development," said the Prime Minister, "a long-rango plan is necessary and the Commissioner of. State Eorests (Hon. Erank Langstorte) is at present working on data with a vieiv to submitting to the Government details of the department's proposals over a period of five years. It will provide employment for a large number of men and Bbould decrease to a considfefablo extent the number now in receipt of sustenance. "LabOur will be required not only for planting but also for tho prepara* tion of land, the establislnpent of firebreaks and the ercction of buildings, 'hutments for the men and dwcllings for the permanent staff. To malco for the greater comfort of the employees it has been decided to replace the tents by hutments which will be erected; to^. plans prepared by the Public Works Pepartment. "The whole objective of extending our land utilisation projfects," concluded Mr. Savage, "is not only to provide additional avenues for absorbing surplus labour but also to create- assets which will be of value to the -n'afion. "