The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11th. 1927. LAND SETTLEMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 February 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11th. 1927. LAND SETTLEMENT.

Further particulars of the scheme lor settling inferior lands as brought- forward hv the Hon A. D. McLeod, are to hand, but the proposal is not as embracing as was thought at first. At the best it is but a that at least is something as the Govern-

ment policy otherwise has been barren as regards lands for settlement. Mr McLeod very modetly makes no claim for any orignality in his scheme, hut from the fuller details now to hand it is at least of general interest and it is to he hoped it will he possible Tor the scheme to grow. As outlined it is an attempt to revive in modified form the old homestead system, bv which over since 18(0. it has been possible in certain districts to take up laud in limited areas and secure the freehold without direct payment, but solely by improving the land and living on it. 'lnere have always been two difficulties obstructing the operation of this scheme. In the first place, poor land needs a great deal of capital to develop it; secondly, the necessity for residence condemned the would-be settler to practically inevitable hardships and privations. As a consequence, the homestead system, as a means of opening up and settling waste country, has always been practically a dead letter. In 1918 an attempt was made to render the system more attractive by offering financial assistance to intending settlers, and the Government! was authorised to borrow a considerable sum per annum to provide a fund for this purpose. Yet even this inducement failed, and last year Parliament decided, on the recommendation

of the Lands Department, to leave the settlement of poor lands to iliosc who have not only enough energy and enterprise, but also sufficient capital to give them a reasonable prospect of success. But. bv way of compensation for tin* withdrawal of Ibe promised iinancial and. which, by 1 lie wav. has never been claimed, it was enacted that residence on the selection is not to lie compulsory, and if the settlor lives 011 the land (be other conditions of tenure are to be modified substantially in bis favour. Mr McTx’od’.s plan provides for the settlement of two small aras. about 17,000 acres in all—--1290 acres of gum lands near Riverhead and Id,ooo acres of pumice, land in the Waiotapu district. Selectors will be licensed to occupy the land—

in sections of 120 acres approximately —for 10 years, and they will lie oxpeeled to clear and cultivate it and make “substantial improvements” within six years’ time. If they comply with the conditions, the selectors may within six or ten years apply for and secure the fee simple of the land. No doubt, as under the older systems, tlio amount of land to lie selected in this way by individuals or families will bo strictly limited. Rut as they now stand, Mr McLeod’s proposals provide means for Liking up and improving poor land in certain parts of Auckland district on easy terms and with the prospect of securing the freehold without direct payment within a limited time. To all such schemes, comments the Auckland Star, there are certain obvious objections which have effectually prevented their successful operation in the past. To make a living out of poor land it is necessary to deal with considerable areas, and this requires capital. The amount of money that must be sunk in such land before any adequate return is secured is noeosarilv large, and those who are fortunate enough to have enough capital at their disposal would naturally prefer easier and safer investments. The gift of the freehold any attract settlers, but in time to come the eoinmiinitv may suffer from the rise in “unearned increment” and inflation of land values. Finally, sucb a limited scheme a.s this is no substitute for a policy of subdividing lands already held in lots too large.