LANDS AMENDMENT BILL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 4007, 8 October 1929, Page 1

LANDS AMENDMENT BILL.

MR, LI'NELATER'S VIEWS. Speaking in the House on the Lands Amendment '.Bill last week Mr. J. Link later (Manawatu), said the measure wag ajmove in the right direction. “When we consider thatit 'has come through the Lands Committee without amendment, we must realise that it was well received 'by the members of that committee, who, generally spending,

are men with special knowledge of matters pertaining to the land. Previous speakers have pointed out that many oif the provisions,in the . Bill are contained in existing- lcgisI lation, and, as that legislation was 1 introduced by the Reform Go vein- | incut, we can on this slide of the I House claim ciredit, to some extent l ait least, for this important and pro- ; gressive Bill which has been receivi ed so favourably on all sides of the House. I have always contended that the utilisation of crown lands is the best line of action so far as settlement is concerned — very much better than buying high I values estates which are to-day i producing at full capacity. Any ■ scheme'that will add to the settle- ! ment lands of New Zealand out of virgin Grown lands will increase I'the production of this country, and II am sure that it will be agreed that I this ig a much desired result. 1 Clause 6 makes provision for the land to be cleared in order to make it ‘fit for settlement. In my opin- ' ion, this clause will require very careful consideration and administration, as there are in New Zealand many lands which do not warrant any expenditure. It is a well known fact that, no -matter what work, is earned out on some of the land, it will never be fit ifo|r farming. I believe, and I advocate very strongly, that a soil survey should ,be made of the different lauds of the Dominion before they are opened for selection. Wie Ikriow perfectly well that many lands that will be brought in through the operations of this measure will require a great deal of expenditure to make them lit for settlement, and it appears to me that the soil should ,he analysed with a view r to seeing what fertilisers are necessary to , make it productive. One of the great costs which are involved in , regard to all lands to-day and which the farmejrs have to contend with are in the direction of experiment's. .There! is no doubt that we are spending thousands of pounds in ascertaining what fertilisers, •‘hat plants, and what grasses are suitable for our different lands. In these cireumlstances, I think that •the officers of the Department of Industrial and Scientific Research , should !be called in before any great , expenditure is incurred on the remaining virgin lands of the Dominion. I am sorry that there is uo provision in the _ Bill for teaching the youth of the Dominion the ' business of farming. Ido not know whether the Ministelr has any intention of bringing in a Bill to provide for this later in the session, but I hope he will, for I believe it would (l)c of great value if, in the development of some of this Crown land, portion of it were set aside for the teaching of our young meni desirous of taking up farming'. Thieg-e are, I am sure, many young men who would ,be glad to take advantage of the opportunity of learning in a practical way the working of the land. Something- on the Block House scheme would serve the purpose, and I hope the Minister will see his way to deal.with . the matter before very long. This Bill, I believe, will be of great value in settling our undeveloped land, and with a few improvements it will be an advantage to land settlement generally to have it placed on the Statute Book ”