The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1920. LAND SETTLEMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 April 1926, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 1920. LAND SETTLEMENT.

The question of land settlement which moans in essence land for settlement is of the greatest importance to New /,salami. Mure production is necessary to create more wealth within the Dominion to keep the country going. Mr Massey used to preach about *‘settlement and more settlement, ami still more settlement.” Mr McLeod, the present Minister of Lands, is drawing attention to the same subject, and emphasising the position by stating that the balance of exports over imports was less than three millions. The Minister is calling for more production, hut does not disclose how it is to he done. To get things done in this category it is for the Government to go back to the -Li hern I met hod propounded by Sir John McKenzie in the days of the Seddon Ministry—find the land for the people to produce from! There are plenty of folk anxious to go on the land under favourable circumstances', and many more outside the Dominion who would he attracted here were the land for settlement available. The increase of people on the land at present is little more than nominal (in the region of 500 a year) and that in respect to the increasing population is wrong economically. The State must play its part in finding land and there is machinery in the statutes law to do so. Without some action of this kind land settlement will continue sub-nor-mal, and the result will he to the great discomfiture of the country as a whole. While the Oovernmnet is inactive there seems no reason why there should ho also provincial inactivity. Take ‘Westland for example, a movement might be initiated to find land for settlement in this district by taking advantage of the Land Settlement Finance Act. This is n measure designed to make provision specially for closer settlement of land by the establishment of land settlement associations assisted by tho guarantee of the State. This Act lias

bosti used but very little in Westland, but under careful guidance it might "ell be taken advantage of. Some local organisation requires to move in the mater, and under the advice of tlio Land Purchase Board (which we take it would freely co-operate in the matter) definite proposals could ho worked up, and new settlers attracted to the place, and placed on the “land as producers. Land in respect to three classes might be taken in hand, namely; improved, partly improved, and unimproved. Then, according to the moans and facilities of the applicants, the land could lie selected. The idea being for closer .settlement, areas must be restricted, say 100 acres for improved land, and 250 acres for unimproved land. Prices could bo regulated with a proviso that whore tlio demand was considered excessive the Purchase Hoard through the Valuation Department could have the power of enforcing the. seller’s price as his rateable value for land tax and local body rating. The Purchase Board could lie trusted t<; be fair in the matter, being composed as it would be of men of experience in local values and productive capacity. If some scheme of the kind suggested were put into force two or three years’ time would disclose an important advance in local .settlement and productivity. If such n scheme heenmo general, the result, of fostering closer settlement would prove remarkable, and go a long way to remove the anxiety which at present exists as to the future of New Zealand from a land settlement point of view.