LAND SETTLEMENT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 345, 5 October 1932, Page 6

LAND SETTLEMENT

MR. BRYANT'S SCHEME MR. VAILE OUTLINES IDEA ! TO ROTARY j CLUB. ASKS FOR ASSISTANCE. A strong .appeal was made on Monday 'by Mr. E. Earle Vaile to his brother Rotarians at the weekly luncheon of the Rotorua Rotary Club to lend both moral and financial assistance to the Land Settlement Seheme propounded by Mr. D. Y. Bryant, of Hamilton. Mr. Vaile eharacterised the seheme as the one most likely to settle the unemployment problem and added that he was not asking his fellow members to do anything whiclx he hiniself had not done since he had already sent forward financial support. He explained the seheme as f ollows : Our National Obligation. The problem of dealing with unemployment is a national one and it imposes upon every citizen a high duty and a heavy responsibility. Many of our f'ellow citizens are reduced to accepting some form of public charity, and this, in the end, means loss of character and self-respect. The ourden is upon us of facing the facts and finding remedies which go to the root of the matter. Primary Production. New Zealand h^s baen living beyond her means — on borrowed eapital. The fact that no new loan money is now available, combining with other factors, has driven many men and women, engaged in divers occupations, into the ranks of the unemployed. At the same time, export prices have fallen seriously. Apart from fundamental changes in our economic and social system the solution of our problem is clearly bound itp with the task of increasing primary production. The Unemployed. This suggests that the reasonable method of dealing with the unemployed lies along the same path. Men are wanted on the land, for placing men on the land means increasing production. Government Assistance. The problem is a community probl'sm which the Government has been compelled to face and no solution can be effective without .the countenance and support of the Government. The plan here outlined, lxowever, adopts the prmciple of eliminating as far as •possible departmental control and official responsibility. It aiiiis at utilising existing machinexy and at placmg it in the hands of expericnced and vohmtary eommittees, comparable to the Rural Credit Bcards. The Government is in full sympathy with ihis id-ea and has undertaken to malce such sustenance payments as would be available if the men concernetf. were on relief work. General Idea. TJnder the plan, it is proposed to acquiu blocks of land, prefeiably partly developed : to subdivide into xOis of approximately 50 acres; to build cottages; to supply the necessary stock and farm requisities; and finaily, when improvements are fairly compiete to hand over individual farm.-. to approved men selected from those who have been doing the work of improving the lanct. Wliile this procest .s going -,.n, those employed m the work (including builders, etc., as well as the farm workers) will live in a central camp. As accommodation it available l'siief workers beyond the uitimate needs of the bloek may be employed, puSfciLly single men. 1 hese will be iiibLructed in farm work and so be fitted later to take up sections on other blocks. Finance. :lt is believed that money for the purpose of carrying on the plan can be obtained from the public at 5 per cent. In order, however, to launch the seheme succassfully and meet preliminary expenses at the outset, it is proposed to raise a fund by gift from patriotic citizens. The main sum will be raised by mortgage debentures and it is proposed to pay interest on these from the beginning out of the total .axids. Constitution. It is proposed to form a society which will be registered under '"Ihe Incorporated Societies Aet, 1908." The society is then to be incorporated as a Trust Board under "The Religious, Charitable and Educational Trusts Act, 1908," so as to take advantage of the Stamp Duty Exemption in respect of conveyances. Purchase of Rlocks. The Board of Directors of the society will then procead to purchase a property, establish a camp, make a survey on a basis of 50 acres (approximately), proeeed to the erection of cottages, anu at a later stage purchase stock and other farm requisites. Educational Purposes. When the cottages are erected they will be occupied by married men and their families. The central camp will then available for liousing the balance of the men who have been assisting with the work, and these will be selected because of their willingness to learn and their general aptitude. In this way it is hoped to train new men in the farming industry. The overseers will be specially selected on account of their ability in teaching First Allocation of Sections. The occupi'ers of the cottages, who will be rent free, will be encouraged to do everything possible to produce their living from their allotments. The order in which cottages are to he taken will be decided by ballot where applicants are, in the opinion of the directors, equally deserving. The original allocation of allotments, however, will not necessarily nor ordinarily be final. Where there is rnore than one equally deserving applicant for a particular holding the final allocation will be made by ballot. Co-operative Work. At first all work will be carried out

on a community basis; ni'en will be working for the society full time although their pay is merely sustenance paid by the Government at relief work rat-es, and although the worker may not get a seetion on the block on which be begins to work. Co-opera-tive work will, in general, be carried on over the whole block so that it may be brought to a fully improved state as soon as possible. Sustenance Payments. The Government has promised that the men employed under this plan will receive pay as though on relief work. The men will be expectea to work full time in consideration of present and future benefits. Supervision. The directors will reserve the right to direct and control all holdings until their uitimate alienation and their authority will extend to eliminating men who are not, in their opinion suitable. Final Allocation. When sections are sufficiently improved, co-operative work will eease on such sections and they will be allocated. At this stage the allotments will be valued by the board on -the basis of productive value (irrespective of cost) and will be handed over to the men selected under an agreement of sale and purchase. Interest will be charged at the rate of 5 per cent. on the value assessed and a sinking fund will be added. A form of agreement is annexed hereto, Eyery effort will be made to accelerate the work to the final stage so that incorae may quickly be available to redeem and pay interest upon the debenture eapital.