The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TH URSDAY, DECEMBER. 27, 1928. A LAND POLICY.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 December 1928, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TH URSDAY, DECEMBER. 27, 1928. A LAND POLICY.

A statement made by Hun G. Forbes, -n.iii.ster of Lands, last week would indicate that the tinted Party proposes to accelerate land settlement in means of a vigorous land policy. Oncol the sins ol omission ly Helena wa* to neglect to attempt such a policy, due in the main to the open confession of the ex-.Mmister of Lands that nothing was possible in.that direction: Until Liberal and Labour, however, assorted that a land policy was as possible as it was essential. La our had a fantastic idea about a conliscaioiw “useliolcl” which was rather kept in the naek ground of late, but the Liberals always pointed w.tli pride and confidence. to what had been done in other days to establish a useful land policy. Mr Forbes, we< should say,, is not unknown to Westianders. During the recent election, Mr Sodden made a special reference to- Mr Forbes as one who had graduated on the land under the Cheviot settlement policy of the Weddon GoiviF'iiment, and as Hr Forbes knows the system intimately, it will not lie surprising if lie has the personal confidence to revive the old policy and revise it to apply to modern economic conditions. One thing which must lie avoided is an inflation of land values either by a process of acquirement or by the offering of cheap money for settlers. Cheap money for stocking or developing a farm is one thing, but cheap money for the purchase of broad acres, can only invite extravagance in prices, and that as we know from past experiences is the farmers’ pro'-loin in the present instance where there is a mortgage-hold. Mr Forbes’ idea at the outset is to call a conference of Commissioners of Land to discuss the most effective means of bringing about the settlement of available lands in possession of the Crown. The first class land in that category must be rather diminished since there has been so much raiding of the freehold a tactical mistake for the country as the present position demonstrates. But there must be a good deal of second class land capable of useful purpose, if handled with discretion. We should lie inclined to think that Mr Forbes will lean towards leasehold principles, and for that reason the Crown would lie justified in providing ■means for the settlers to carry out approved improvements with money provided at a low rate by the Crown. By this means the Crown property would grow in value, but the settler would Ik* reaping the direct profit, and the country’s interest would he the accumulating worth of the estate brought year by year into greater productivity This is a phase of a Liberal land policy which is possible of wide •service, and would assist to- establish the settlers comfortably without the bother of seeking to raise money in a restricted private market, and so saddling themselves with a burden oi heavy interest. One consideration in seeking to expand land settlement, will, be the location of the land. Tt should not l>e too remote necessitating expensive access, which becomes at once a charge on the country. Land already l-oaded should he a first choice, and in dairying centres where factories are established already, there should be assistance to settlers to use theii holdings to the fullest advantage. In the main, most settlers have more Irpicl than they are able to work economically. A scheme should be devised to assist such, or alternatively to lease fallow areas if of sufficient size to carry one or more additional settlers, and ensure greater production that way. -Such a means would be a very ready method for placing more people on the land. Government va'uations supply a basis on which such areas could he leased over a period, and in addition to receiving a rental value over the time occupied, there would he the value of the. improvements made to accrue to the freeholder at the termination of the lease. The progress possible along such lines could lie quite remarkable, and the cost would he nothing like, acquiring the freehold, and reading the country and thou lending cheap money to the prospective settler to take up the areas so acquired. Naturally the economic cost is the first factor in lands for settlement, ami it will he the task of the new Minister of Lands and his advisers to proceed on lines which must not he unduly costly, and certainly not burdensome to' the Cr<nvu tenants. Any scheme to lie successful, must give a satisfied tenantry, and w r ith the oxIHM’ienco Mr Forbes has had personally, combined with the general success of the former Liberals’ system governing settlement of the land, the land stagnation under Reform should lie a thing of the past, and in its place should l>o a forward move which more than anything else is destined to add greatly to the permanent prosperity of NowZeal and.