LAND UTILISATION

Hokitika Guardian, 3 January 1930, Page 8

LAND UTILISATION

RESEARCH IN NEW ZEALAND

AID FROM INSTITUTE OF PACIFIC RELATIONS.

AUCKLAND, December 31. Dr. Horace Relshaw, Professor of Economies at Auckland University College, who was New Zealand representative at the conference of the Institute of Pacific Relations, at Kyoto, Japan, leturned by the Maunganui to-day. He states that the International Research Committee approved a research project into the economic position of land utilisation in New Zealand, and made a grant of approximately £4OO a year for two years to assist the work that would be undertaken. Dr. Belshaw will be in charge of the fund. He has not yet formulated a definite plan with regard to its expenditure. Probably the studies will concern the influences of soil, climatic ' conditions, land tenure and finances on land utilisation and land settlement. There were 240 delegates at the conference, including a strong delegation from Britain, headed by Lord Hal sham, Mr Malcolm MacDonald, son of the Prime Minister, and Mr xncnel Curtis. China and Japan were strongly represented. The principal topics of discussion were the position in Manchuria and i extra-territorialitv in China. In addition, attention was given to diplomatic relations in the Pacific, the machine age and modern culture, food supplies and population of the world. The Samoan position was not touched upon, but Dr. Belshaw was on a smb-committee appointed to bring down a programme on Pacific dependencies embracing that troubled country. This action was decided upon as it ivas felt that not sufficient was known about the subject for an immediate and profitable discussion. It was intended to promote continuous and progressive investigations into the social and economic conditions of the Pacific, so that the position might be reviewed biennially.