NEW POLICY

Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1929, Page 3

NEW POLICY

OF LAND SETTLEMENT.

(By Telegraph—Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Jan. 2:3

The preliminary steps for the formulation of the Land -octtlcnn-nt Dolby of tho new Government were taken to-day, when the Minister of Lands tllon. .Mr Forbes) met the Crbwn Land Commissioners and members of the Land Purchase Board in conference. Subsequently the Minister expressed the hope that the outcome would he the adoption of a fairly substantial programme. Tiie conference will he continued to-moirow. The Minister explained that the conference had gone fully into tiie question of settlement generally, and alsointo the matter of taking up the unoccupied land of the Dominion. Suggestions were made by the Commissioners, and these would be considered further to-morrow. “We had quite a useful talk,” the Minister said, “and a good deal of valuable information was furnished. "I lie object of the Conference is to place me in touch with the position in the various districts and with the obstacles in the way of carrying out increased settlement. Wo have been able to discuss that matter fully, and I am very hopeful that, as the result of tho conference, I will be able to put into operation a fairly substantial programme of land settlement. It will, of •ourse, take some little time.” ‘There also is to be considered tho question of reading in regard to undeveloped lands. That point will lie closely looked into, and at is my intention to go on with the business. 1 Mr Fodbes added that the final decisions of the conference would lie reached to-morroy, and at an early date lie would visit as many parts of the country as possible to ascertain for himself on the spot the practicability of giving effect to the proposals in the districts concerned. The Minister will leave on Friday night on a comprehensive tour of the South Island. He will later tour th North Island. At the completion o' his visit he will decide on the line of action to be followed in regard tc- his land settlement policy.

During a brief visit ,to the Auckland district, from which he returned today, Mr Forbes formed the impression that in the vicinity of Kawhia and in tho Waitomo electorate, there are iarge areas of useful country, capable of being broken in. These could take a fair amount of additional settlement. but they would require a goo' 1 deal of development and would not lend themselves to large-area farming.