IS ANYTHING BEING DONE?

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12623, 7 December 1926, Page 7

IS ANYTHING BEING DONE?

TO SOLVE GRAVE PROBLEM OF DETERIORATED LANDS DISSATISFACTION ALLEGED HELP FOR SETTLERS FAR TOO LONG DELAYED One of New Zealand’s serious problems is that of its deteriorated lands. Parliament has discussed the question and passed legislation, but complaint is now being made that the administration of the Act is such that relief to th'e settlers is being too long delayed. In an interview with a representative of the “New Zealand Times” a gentleman conversant with the situation ‘expresses opinions of a highly disturbing nature.

“There has been a considerable amount of feeling in the areas affected ,by the Lands Deterioration Act,” he says, “people concerned being of the opinion that things are not going at all well, and that whatever is being done is being done far too slowly to be effective. The whole thing seems to have been handled in a most curious manner, and grave doubts have arisen whether it is the settler or the politician the Minister for Lands is endeavouring to save. ‘■‘Prior to the passing of the Act an expensive commission toured the district and made recommendations. After the passing of the Act three committees were set up to deal with individual applications for relief. Each committee consisted of two Crown officers and an outside farmer. They had to deal with: (a) The problem of deserted Crown farms. (b) Rental values. (c) Means of relieving all Crown settlers affected by excessive rentals, mortgages, lack of access, inadequate areas, and capital’ and other obstacles to successful farming of the lands. “It was anticipated that these committees would get through their work expeditiously. and that pronjpt relief and assistance would be afforded the settlers. The results to date have been far from satisfactory. The committees are touring round their districts and dealing very slowly with individual applications.' In certain dis-

' tricts it is estimated that not more than 20 per cent, of the applications have been dealt with. After the applications are dealt with by the committees they have to go before the Land Board and be referred to Wellington. “A result is that each committee still has a year or two of work ahead of it. And these are most expensive committees, each costing the Crown about £4500 a year. “From the point of view of the settler time is all-important; assistance now wjjtuld be invaluable, whereas later on it will be worthless. The feeling in the affected areas, among the distressed settlers, is that the matter is only being trifled with, and that the Government is merely trying to keep the settlers quiet and save the face of the politician. “The problem of the deserted farm and the deteriorated country should have been dealt .with a considerable time ago. The work is a .big one, and it is thought it could have been done better and more expeditiously by machinery which has been in existence for years than by the committees. A casual visit of, say, an hour’s duration by a committee cannot have the satisfactory result that should come from careful handling by the depart‘ment’s pwn officers. If the Government really intends to give assistance it should take steps to prevent undue delay in the rendering of that aid. If, on the other hand, it is merely pandering to public opinion, let ns have done with the farce 1”