LAND SETTLEMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1926, Page 1

LAND SETTLEMENT.

THE GROUP SYSTEM

A pea for the investigation by the Minister of Lands of the question of land settlement on the group system was advanced in the House in the iorm of an inquiry' by Mr A. Bell (Bay of Islands), who added that it had been reported that the system had proved very satisfactory in operation in America and Western Australia. He suggested that the Lands Committee might bo asked to inquire into the subject, in order that Parliament might be fully informed about the working of the system.

' Speaking a little later on the immigration report with reference to the group system, the member for Palea (Mr H. G. Dickie) mentioned that it was started in Western Australia in 1922, and abandoned at the end of 1923.

Air H. E. Holland (Leader of the Opposition) : Did not AVestern Australia revive that scheme?

Air Dickie replied that a Royal Commission was set up in 1925 to report on the group scheme of settlement, and it recommended the final abandonment of the scheme.' The member added that he had had an opportunity of inspecting the scheme in Western Australia, and found that the peo-ple who had gone on the land under it had in the end to apply to the Government for a grant to keep them from starving.

Air H. E. Holland contended that far from being a failure, the group system in West Australia had proved n pronounced success, and that tlto Government were still going on with it, and were bringing more families out.