MINISTER OF LANDS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 May 1926, Page 3

MINISTER OF LANDS

it AUCKLAND, Alay 25. e That the .Minister for Lands (the Hon. Air AleLeoil) ims a man who 1 thorirug'.ly understood the conditions under which New Zealand farmers o worked anil 1 iveil was a point of which c Air Coates made much in speaking to a gathering of King Country settlers. Air AleLeoil, lie said, was a mini who had been up to bis knees in mud in getting about among the people, jn- , deed, it might be said that lie had been 5 up to bis neck in mud in some places. | To be a successful Alinistcr for Lands a man hnd to get out back, and meet , the settlers, said Air Coates. That had to he part of his daily life. Air AfeLeod probably knew more, of farming conditions in New. Zealand than any other imui. Referring to the fact that he had been given the additional portfolio of Industries and Commerce, Air Alt-hood said it might lie thought that Lands and Industries and Commerce were portfolios as far apart as the Poles. Personally, he did not think so, as it would bo bis aim to bring about mure complete understanding between the mini in the town and the primary producer on the land. He would do his utmost to do justice to his new responsibility. He would meet the commercial people of New Zealand, and those who were interested in industrial ventures, and would deal with all J>e*r problems to tbe best of bis judgment and ability. By and large, the farmers of New Zealand were not altogether unsympathetic with those in the city who were building up industries. I’iiere were great difficulties in the Cay, out he believed the primary and secondary industries should be linked up, though with many others lie believed that New Zealand would have to depend for a long time first and foremost on tbe primary industries. There must be i:o : attempt to link up secondary industries in anything but a gradual way. Air Afel.eod deplored the drift to ibe towns. This was largely due to the drudgery of farm life, especially that of dairy farming, where men worked on seven dnys of the week lor eight, | nine, or ten months of the year. Hours were long, and the women had to work ] too, and sometimes the children. Yet , lh.* returns were small. AVas it any i wonder that people left the farm for [ the city? People often remarked that it served the farmers right for having mortgaged themselves up to the limit. The rural lands generally were not unduly mortgaged, however. The farms on which the greater number of New Zealand’s 10Q .{]()!> settlers worked were not mortgaged above tbo value of ini- 7 provemenls and tbo stock being carried. 1 Air AleLeoil thought New Zealand was a reaching n dangerous age, ior once a business man in the city ceased to make more than the interest on the money laid out on his buildings and stock, then lie would very soon get out ]j of business, and tlie dairy tanner j. would do the same. n