GOVERNMENT BUSHFILLING SCHEME.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 18 August 1909, Page 13

GOVERNMENT BUSHFILLING SCHEME.

FAILURE PREDICTED. (Fbosi Ova Own Coehespondent.) WELLINGTON, August 11. The Government bi^lifcliing scheme for tl«o unemployed lias 'not been a success. About 40 our of 140 have ahead y left the woik. Xhie,tenths of the men who I have J<-it tlie bush or who aie not doing too well theie are inexperienced men. What couH be expected? asks a Po^t lrpoiter, who hn* closely irspecred the work. The work in e&^entially skilled labour To put the 'prentice hand there wheie the cult'-nnn should be is to court failure. The Labour Dejjartment is held to be largely to blame for the <jlaes of men it hay **ent up. Only experienced rr.r-n should have gone. There is one fuilher j)oint. Had tho scheme contained p'anis for the n liking of roads and tia<k.~ so veiy noce~.-4-.ry as a mean' of i"(p>i wheie at p) - ctent there is only the iivtr, all this smjilus unskilled labour, all Lhe-p amateur bii.-'limen, might have been emploj'ed profitably. It is not too lat-e pveii now to do i-omething on these lines. Tho Govn'umtnt, it is urged, should seriously consular tlii^ point : otherw^e the gicit Rangitatau bu-hfelling feheme will only end in disaster. The gallant Forlorn hope will chop out their sections, but others -will be Jefr half-chopped, fhero will Tje no continuity, and when the time for lighting the fire arrives the bush will burn only in parts, and then theis will be chaos.

included amongst the imports for last veai, details of which are contained in Part II of the Official Year Book just iscued, will be found two magpies valued it £l, 200 mice valued at £22, 19 monkeys valued at £17, and tw& tortles vaiuid ai