LANDS DEPARTMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 2 December 1925, Page 4

LANDS DEPARTMENT

A FCK I.A.XD. Xovehmer fid. An address concerning the activities of the Lands Dona rt meat was given hv the ll.in. A. D. McLeod, Minister of Lands, at the first annual dinner of the Whaiigarej Chamber of Commerce. Alt McLco.l said that the work of his department involved investments ol c.Ad.BbO.dUl). ol which L32.000.n90 was in connexion with returned soldiers’ ■el t lenient. the management of L'LOnO accounts, and the employment oi a -raff numbering approximately 2.o()t>. Tlic Lands Department had become, lie declared, a huge financial concern. When dealing with a proposal that the Depart incut should be run by tomiiiorcitil men. the Minister stated that n was not generally known that there were about 200 settlers on the Department "s books who wore in ill-health, and were on their backs owing to nervous and other breakdowns. Their wives and children were trying to carry on upon the farms, and in those cases the Department had not charged a penny for rent. If. however, the land settlement business were run on purely commercial lines, those people would all he drawing charitable aid. The Department did not throw them out. neither did its officers. There was a huge family of 30.400 Crown tenants on the Department’s books, which was a large proportion, as there were only 90,000 settlers in the rural parts of the Dominion. The Crown Lands Department was a business.

The manifesto of flu; Party had said ".More business in Government ami less government in business,” and .Mr McLeod hoped to do his share in bringing that into operation. But lie would be

able to do so only if all sections of the community assisted to that end. The tendency was to look upon the Government as a milch tow. What was wanted was better understanding between the primary producers and the commercial people of the count ly. The Minister remarked that in kis audience there were doubtless many pioneer settlors who hail many grey hairs before they attained success. However, he advised young settlers to stick to it, and not to become downhearted. They had a Government, a Minister, and a Department which would play their part. There was much to he done in the development of swamp areas, hut again that was going to he a slow process for many years to come. Any ntiempt to throw inexperienced men on such swamp land as there was in the north would he courting disaster. To pul down hands or groups of settlers from overseas who were possessed of little capital on gum or pumice lands would not he a. fair thing. In regard to gum lands, it was the- Minister’s intention to have a block of about 1000 acres tried out. but. again, men were wanted who. would go into it earnestly, tip to the present, the Minisler admilied lie was not able to say what it would cos i to develop Midi lands.