CLOSER SETTLEMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1070, 16 November 1911, Page 3

CLOSER SETTLEMENT.

Dealing with the question of closer settlement and the breaking up ot large estates, Mr Byron Brown on Tuesday night said that the Government candidate had told the electors that he was in favour of breaking up large estates, but what had he done ? What large estates was he in favour of breaking up, aud where were they situated ? In his own electorate there are many large estates aud what has he done, asked Mr Brown, to break them up ? Absolutely nothing. Within a few miles of Foxton there were several large areas that should be cut up : The Himataugi Block of 9,500 acres ; Mr J. R. McDonald’s Heatherlea Estate, 10,000 acres, which was now controlled by oue mau who employed about six or eight men ; Dr. Wall’s property at Monloa, 1,000 acres and the Moutoa instate of 4,300 acres. There was an area ol 24,800 acres in the hands of tour men, whilst the sous of our lathers were leaving New Zealand to seek land in Australia and elsewhere. All this is takiug place under a Liberal Government aud a member who says that he believes iu breaking up large estates. The young New Zealanders are leaving the country because they cannot get laud here. They are going away aud New Zealand is importing every year, at great cost to the country, thousands of immigrants. These immigrants are supposed to be farm labourers, but when they get out here it is found that they know absolutely nothing about farming. All this is happening, notwithstanding the fact that the Member for the district says he is in favour of preveuting aggregation. ”If you return me,” said Mr Brown, ‘‘ I will fight strenuously until I get those estates taken over by the Government aud settled.” (Applause). ”My policy is, ' the greatest good to the greatest number,’ aud the vested interests of the few must give place to the needs ot the many.” Continuing, Mr Brown said that although Foxton was one of the oldest towns on the Coast, it had not gone ahead as it should have done, aud that was because it had never beeu represented by a good, keen, business mau. The large estates iu the immediate vicinity had kept Foxton back long enough, aud it was now time that they were broken up. (Applause.) He had gone carefully into the question of how much could be produced from the four estates he had mentioned if they were cut up aud closely settled. The total area was 24,800 acres, and allowing three acres to the cow, it would mean that the ground would run 8,266 cows. Each cow would produce 4 cwt of butter per annum, giving a total of 1653 tous of butter, which at oue shilling per pound would bring in a sum of ,£185,136. i’o deal with this output of butter it would be necessary to have three aud a-half factories as large as the Glen Oroua factory. The above might be produced from that land if it were cut up aud worked by legitimate farmers, aud if he were returned to the House he would uot rest until these estates had been cut up. (Applause). There was also the by-products to be takeu into cousideraticu, and the raising of pigs, which would be sufficient to warrant the erection of a bacon factory in the vicinity. In conclusion, Mr Brown asked his hearers it it was not worth while electing a mau who would do all in his power to bring about closer settlement aud the advancement of the district. (Applause),