The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Const Times. Wednesday, may 16, 1928.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 May 1928, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Const Times. Wednesday, may 16, 1928.

| RELIEVING ("XI'IMPLOYMEXT. Wkstkun Australia has entered upon an era of prosperity. The State lias set many other countries an example by going hack to basic principles to assure permanent prosperity, and relies upon Hie land to yield the wealth and provide the employment so necessary to bring contentment to the people. Western Australia was the land of gold production, hut the inevitable —the passing of the industry—wits realised betimes. In that State, which 20 years ago no one would have ever thought had an agricultural future, they have pursued a policy which has, year by year, opened up their land to new settlers who this year are producing 3.1 million bushels of wheat, apart from enormously increasing quantities of wool and other primary produce, Tn the 20 years referred to. before which time Western Australia imported wheat to feed her pcop’e, this State has exported over £23.000.030 of wheat aione. Her population is increasing by leaps and lw>unds and unemployment has ceased to he a problem. How has this been a••■-.•ompish-ed when in this Dominion, where Nature smiles on us, farmers arc walking off their holdings and swelling the ranks of the unemployed. One of the men largely responsible for Western Australia’s prosperous condition, Sir James Mitchell, explains it when lie says: “It has been done by bringing about what has .never been attempted before—the complete co-operation of the individual with the State. When the gold boom hurst things looked black —irretrievable. T felt that in agricultural lay the only chance, hut we had an apparently insurmountable harrier —only a handful cf people in such a "big area. We had the land in which •T always had the greatest faith, "but wo

had not the farmers. 44’hnt mngie could wc employ to bring men on the landmen who, in most cases had not a shilling to buy laud or stock or implements ? It was then that I felt that complete co-operation 'between individual and State was the answer to tho problem. Not 75 per cent, help, but 100 per cent. help. If a man came to us to take up land we would be on a good wicket if we financed him completely. paying him at a fixed rate for doing bis own clearing, by supplying the necessary stock and implements, by paying bint to plough and so forth. 44" e supplied him with thr raw material, the land and with his tools of trade. He supplied the labour and created n.n asset. The unearned increment was our security. The development of the lands of the State was our value received. Individuals occasionally failed us—only occasionally, however—the land never did. 44'c got men who were poor as poor. 44 r e took them from the mines. I went to TCalgoorlie and asked for 1900 miners to become farmers. T got them.. Mon that marched from Fremantle wharves to take up farming on our terms now drive down to catch the English boats in limousines that cost £2OOO. Our plan lias been justified in the only possible way—success.” New Zealand lias an object lesson in the experience of 44 e>stern Australia. Some moiety of the money now being spent in relief works might be utilised to stem the loss on CVown Estate farms which settlers ore leaving, in the effort to retrieve the general situation. Lands at present waste are worth experimenting with, and liv improvement create production. The Minister of Lands is one of the most capable of the present Ministry, and. with courage equal to that displayed in •'Western Australia, he could make a name for himself and Party which would resound throughout the Empire. It is but another version r:f tho land policy .so vital to our well-being, and which of necessity must lie revived again along Liberal lines to assure the more permanent prosperity of the Dominion, and so relieve unemployment.