VIRGIN LAND

Hokitika Guardian, 3 September 1929, Page 4

VIRGIN LAND

.HOW TO BREAK IT/IN. As a practical and successful/ farmer, Mr Murdoch (Morsden), chief Government Whip, is qualified to speak , authoritatively 'on 'land/ settlement, 1 ancl his remarks in this connection ill the House of Representatives were listened to with interest. ' ' “We do not want a repetition of the soldier settlement , bungle,’’ said Mr Murdoch, but-a safe and. reasonable land settlement policy.”' Personally, he would prefer to' see [ virgin country taken up rather than lpiM already. in .occupation. In his opinion the Lands Department should adopt a system of advancing to ; the person: accepting for selection a measure of; financial assistance as he proceeded with his development work. That is.: to say, that iii the. case of a mani without capita], . the Department: should pay him, as though it were wages for clearing'the property, If, after the lapse of five years, the settlor desired to seoure the freehold it should be made, available to him at the original value plus the improvements., Should the settler find lie>\ was not making a success of his holdup ings, or that the work was not congenial, ho could leave the property, and the Department would still be in possession of the asset the,-* settler had. created. The Department could thou offor the mu cl i improved property /to another settler, who would reap all' the advantages created by the. original occupant..“l feel sure,” he said, ; “that if such a scheme were/put in operation there would be. plenty of men in Now Zealand ready and willling to tako up the land—men who would make good settlers, and help materially to increase our national production and decrease unemployment.”