A HUGE BUSINESS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4922, 6 January 1926, Page 3

A HUGE BUSINESS.

LAND DEPARTMENT’S WORK.

36,000 CROWN TENANTS.

According to .the Minister tor Lands, the Hon. A. D. McLeod, the activities 'Of .the department are much greater and wider than is generally realised (says the New Zealand Times). ■

Mr McLeod said that the woyk of the department has involved investments of £52,000,000" (of which £32,000,000 was in connection with returned soldiers’ settlement), the management of 13,000 accounts, and the employment of a staff of about 2000. The department has become a huge financial concern.

Regarding a suggestion that the department shbuld be run by commercial men, Mr McLeod said it was not generally known. that there were about 200 settlers on the department’s books who were in ill-health and who were on their backs owing to nervous or other breakdowns. Their wives, and children were trying to carry on the farms, and in these cases the department had not charged a penny for rent. If, however, the land settlement business were run on purely commercial lines, those -people would all be drawing charitable aid. The department did not throw them out. On the books of the department there was the huge family of 36,000 Crown tenants, which was a large proportion, as there were only 90,000’ settlers in the rural parts of the' Dominion. However, he hoped for an increase in business methods, and said there would be no encouragement o.f the idea that the Government was a, milch cow. What was wanted was a better understanding between the primary producers affil the commercial community.