CLOSER SETTLEMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 13 March 1929, Page 6

CLOSER SETTLEMENT

CONFERENCE IDEAS. (By Telegraph—Press Association). WELLINGTON, March 12. Under the auspices of the New Zealand Land Settlement and Development Association, of Wellington, a conference oil land settlement and migration was opened to-day. Air A. L. Hunt was voted to ibe chair. In a lengthy speech, Air Hunt urged that there should be a vigorous policy of developing and settling new land in the Dominion. He utterly disagreed with the statement frequently made during the past few years, even by responsible 31 misters of the Crown, that all tbe land worth settling bad been taken up. Air Hunt also said that millions of horse-power were running t» waste that might be harnessed up privately, in addition to the Government’s hydro undertakings, and be utilised for manufacturing purposes. There must be something wrong when in a country of tbe great latent possibilities of New Zealand, they bad a chronic unemployment problem and could not absorb British immigrants. After quoting what was .icing, recomplishcd in Western Australia, 3L (fribble (secretary of tbe Auckland Land Settlement League endorsed V.-' 1 • ■• • 1 v statement as to the urgent

‘V statement. as to the urgent need of immigration and a Land Setleinent Board. tlr. H. It, Dickie, M.P.. said that any hoy could make money on the land provided ho was trained on the right lines.

Mr Dickie said he blamed the award rate of wages and the relief work wages for people preferring the town to the country.

Mr A. S. Chapman, of the Waikato Swamp Development League, said he favoured the development of unimproved land to the purchase of large estates for settlement.

After further discussion, the billowing resolutions were passed:— That the land settlement policy 'of the future should ho confined largely to the opening up of new lands that

at present are bringing in no revenue. That, in addition to Government effort, private enterprise he given every encougamout and finality, including the removal of land tax. to undertake the breaking in of second class lauds for the purpose of making them available for the close settlement. That, in the opinion of this conference, tin- time has arrived for a national movement to place land settlement oh a sound basis.

The Conference approved of the policy of the Minister of Education that primary education be given a bias towards agriculture, and expressed the opinion that hoys should complete their training in the service of a praticval fanner. The conference then adjourned until to-morrow afternoon.