A CANDID CRITIC

Hokitika Guardian, 14 March 1930, Page 3

A CANDID CRITIC

MINISTER’S AMUSING ENCOUNTER. v

“LEANING ON THEIR SHOVELS.”

WELLINGTON, March 12

The Minister of Public Works, the Hon E. A. Ransom, on a recent country tour, encountered a strong critic, quite unexpectedly, at a social gathering. This gentleman declared that the Government’s land policy and unemployment measures were no good.

“The only man who gets benefit from unemployment relief,” said the critic, “is the man who leans on his shovel, and the only people who get benefit from the Government’s land policy are those who sell them land.”

The audience, amused at this outbreak, waited for the Minister's retort. Mr Ransom suggested that his crili. really did not. Know what had been done. "As for the men who leaned on their shovels, that,” continued Mr Ransom, "might have happened under another Government;; but when I took office I imnieditaely asked the Public Works Department to see that, after the first week or so, when men were to be given an opportunity or learning the work and the use of tools, they should be placed on co-operative contracts, and practically the whole of ouirelief works are on that basis, so if any workers lean on their shovels they do it in their swn time.”

As for the land policy criticism, Mi' Ransom admitted that good land had been bought, but only after taking great care that the area was not purchased at a price which would prevent its subdivision? at a profitable price to the new occupiers plank in tne.Government’s policy was authority to spend five millions for land development; thus Crown settlers, old .and new, could receive from the Crown financial assistance in respect to imthey had carried out, which would enable them to supplement their own capital and continue to make progress in developing their areas until they reached a profitable stage. This, added the Minister, was better than letting men struggle on inadequate capital until their land reverted second growth and had. to be classed as a deteriorated area, involving further aid from the State after the original struggling settler had given things up.