LAND SETTLEMENT

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12606, 17 November 1926, Page 8

LAND SETTLEMENT

; IMPORTANT CONFERENCE Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, November 16. An important conference on land settlement wag held - to-night, Sir Andrew Bussell presiding. The Minister for Lands, the Hon. A. D, McLeod, the Hon. 0. J. Hawken, Minister for Agriculture, and the Hon. J. A. Young, Minister for Health, were present, also Sir James Allen, and Mr J. B. Thompson, Under-Secretary for I.ands, and Dr Reakes, Director-Gene-ral of Agriculture, and numerous farmers. There were thirty or forty speeches. The following resolution was carried : “That this meeting considers that a board of inquiry, with power to call evidence, should be set up forthwith to ascertain the conditions that are preventing the profitable occupation of land already in occupation and retarding the settlement of undeveloped lands of New Zealand with a view to their removal.” A good deal of dismission took place regarding the course of action, a proposal to set up a-Dominion committee being eventually ' dropped on the ground of expense. It was then proposed that the Government’s attention be directed to the problems of land settlement, the financial burdens of the farmer, and that the Farmers’ Union and Royal Agricultural Society be asked to take charge of tbo mais, ter. Mr A. D. McLeod said the Government would welcome an inquiry into land settlement, but it could not have a large and expensive committee travelling about the country. It would gladly accept suggestions for the personnel of the committee of' inquiry,' but the nominees must he representative farmers, and the Government must have the right to make its own appointments as well. The proposal was carried; and a committee consistiiig of Messrs C. C. Munro, W. G. Gribble, TV. J. Broadfoot, Edwin Harding, C. Belcher (Eltham), M. G. McArthur, and A. A. Ross was set up to wait on the Royal Show Society and the Farmers’ Union in the next few days.