LAND SETTLEMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 2 January 1925, Page 1

LAND SETTLEMENT

IMPORTANT EXPERIMENT. SYDNEY, Dec. 21. Much 'interest is being taken throughout Australia in the progress of the group settlement scheme which has been developed in Western Australia (lining the past year or two. It is one ef the most important aspects ol modern attempts at what may Ik: termed scientific methods in land settlement, and as ait experiment it is being carefully watched. Under proficient direcion some thousands of people are included in the various groups, and all re- ■ ports have gone to show that the rc- ; suits have been highly encouraging. ■ The expert guidance has enabled the acquirement of successful farming method? on the part of immigrants " either wholly lacking in agricultural ! knowledge or ignorant of Australian 1 conditions with a thoroughness and ra- : pjdity that would have been impossible i on segregated areas. Western Ausi tralia Is,' of course, the most undeveloped (State of the Commonwealth, and. fortunately, it consistently produced energetic ’ and enterprising Govern- ' incuts so that in recent years it has

made ''remarkable advance in crop areas and general development, and the rise (,[•' anotlicr Sydney on tlio vest ol the continent is not an improbable destiny for Perth in the next half century. One phase of this far-sight on the pai-t of the Governments of, the huge State is tiiat although Labour generally in Australia, if not actually hostile, is verv hike-warm in the matter ol immigration, making impossible stipulations about the whole ol Australia s population being employed before any more people .are brought here, and at the same time ignoring the huge body of unemployables that always arises m great cities, the AVestern Australia. Labour Party that recently took otheo following the split in the anti-Labour ranks is just as keen about immigration as its predecessors, realising that poulatiou makes for prosperity when the new arrivals can he attracted to rural pursuits. Thus the great group svstem is not in danger. ' [, as t week the ex-Prcrmer, Sir James Mitchell, made a thorough inspection of the. groups in the Pusselton district, and he returned to Perth highly deliidiLed with the progress that was being made by the settlers. Splendid development, lie said, had taken place during the last year or two, the result of which was to he seen in the fodder crops under cultivation. Fodder crops, potatoes, and other vegetables from the group settlements made a particularly fine display at a highly successful show that was held at Busseltown. The general quality was simply wonderful, and every specimen was good of its kind. The group people were, lie said, very cheerful, and were determined to make' a success of their venture. He im*t numbers of them during his visit, and found both men and women r\eie working hard and cpiite satisfied with their lot. The children of the people who had just arrived, & as well as of those who had been on the settlements for some time, were simply magnificent, and the only trouble was that there was not enough of them. On the different groups he inspected a liunibei of growing crops. On one group settlement he saw a crop of subterranean clover which certainly could not be excelled anvwbcre, although it had been sown only a short time. Ihe English people he had met on the croups were doing well, and it «= wonderful how soon they became acclimatised and acquired Australian habits.