THE UNEMPLOYED

Hokitika Guardian, 15 November 1932, Page 5

THE UNEMPLOYED

FRESH SCHEMES

OCCUPYING FORFEITED FARMS.

(Per Priss Association Copyright

WELLINGTON, IJovember 14.

Tlte Kt. Hon. J. G. Coates has been holding a conference to-day with the representatives of different departments of the State in relation to the formulation of fresh land settlement schemes for the absorption of the unemployed. 'One alternative under review at today’s conference was the adoption of a proposal concerning the resumption of the lands which ltav© been forfeited by the State’s mortgagors, or which have reached a stage where the surrender of the areas, either voluntary or compulsory, is imminent. The proposal is that fresh • settlors be financed .011 to these holdings, by subsidies from the unemployment fund.

Mr Coates said that lie was determined that finality should be reached on the present- occasion. The schemes before the Conference related to land settlement. He was satisfied that they pointed to the direction to be followed in the permanent absorption of the unemployed. Some? thing concrete - would emerge from the deliberations. Mr Coates visualised the effect on the country’s dead weight debt of the permanent settlement of, say, 5000 families. :

There are ground's for the belief that in relation to the relief of the unemployed by new schemes of existing means, an endeavour will be.mlade to conserve expenditure during summer, so ais to create a reserve fund, which can be drawn upon to meet the anticipated-inroads of winter requirements.

It has been ,pointed' out that there is a danger of the existing unemployment measures collapsing. Mr Coates has been Considering alterations, with the object of launching a plan more fx>mprehenisive than what has now become the ill-fated ten acre farm project x -