BURDENED FARMERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 404, 12 July 1928, Page 1

BURDENED FARMERS

Minister of Lands Speaks Plainly On Futility of Commissions MORTGAGES AND HIGH VALUES INVARIABLY, a Royal Commission furnishes a costly report, which nobody reads. That is the history of commissions, and nobody knows it better than you do. This is what the Minister of Lands, the Hon. A. D. McLeod, told a deputation from the Land Settlement and Development League, which to-day proposed investigations into the agricultural possibilities of the country.

To investigate the questions, said ; Mr. McLeod, a mixed commission of seven or eight men would travel about the country for 12 months, at a cost of £IO,OOO to £15,000. considering points as wide apart as the poles. It would furnish a report, which doubtless would invite questioning by mem-: bers of Parliament. “I am egotist enough to think that as a member I have all the information on these points,” he declared, ‘‘although 1 don't say it could not be added to. ‘ The chief reason for the unoccupied areas is that the land is over-mort-gaged and over-valued. I don’t want to broadcast this statement as a pessimist. It is an endeavour to face f cts.” Mr. McLeod said that the post-war years from 1921 to 192 S had shown that production of produce was 25 to 30 per cent, above pre-war standards, but mortgages had risen by 100 per cent. Men who had got possession of land had paid high prices and they did not want to sell at less. At the next session of Parliament he would work along tines to find means of disposing of the land held by men who had more than they could handle. HELP THE GOVERNMENT The first speaker for the league was Mr. W. W. Massey, who said that its purpose was not to embarrass the Government, but to help it. It realised that the prosperity of the city depended on the land. Commercial men were asking that a board of inquiry should find out why farmers were leaving the land and why people were not putting money into farm lands. Agricultural areas which had gone back might still be made profitable again. A group system in Western Australia had provided for 5,000 young farmers, and it was an object lesson. Mr. A. A. Ross, president of the Auckland Farmers’ Union, said that vast areas of Crown and native lands were available in the province for settlement. There was money in the city, but the possibility of safe investment was not evident. The board of inquiry should sift the ideas and report to the Government. Mr. W. J. Holdsworth said the time had arrived when a spirit of optimism should be broadcast. Pessimism had prevented money being invested. Some system was necessary by which the mistakes of the past would be discovered and avoided in the future. The Minister had said that the saturation points of poultry breeding, hog raising and fruit growing were nearly reached. The Minister: We have reached them! THE PRICE OF EGGS Mr. Holdsworth: But eggs sell at 3s 6d a dozen. The Minister: What percentage? Mr .Holdsworth: The people have to pay it. Poultry is only served at the best hotels, and on feast days,

whereas it should be a common article of food as in America. As for the pork industry, England gets 90 percent. from foreign countries. Mr. McLeod: You’ve got to prove you can get it to England first. Mr. Holdsworth said that the opinion had been expressed that it was surprising that the Dominion did not send more eggs and pork to England. It was a great mistake to have larg«* areas of unoccupied land, when suitable immigrants might be obtained to keep small farms. Mr. E. Yates said that farming “stunk in the - nostrils” of financiers. Encouragement and optimism were necessary. Reports published had proved that the worst of the land in the North could be made profitable. Mr. McLeod: No man alive can say how much money was spent on Puwera. It can’t be done at that price. “There are thousands of acres only partly developed and if only we can get out-of-work people to go o the country, unemployment would soon cease,” said Mr. Yates. Mr. C. F. Bennett urged the consideration of the group system of Western Australia. Mr. McLeod: Have you read the Royal Commission’s report on it?—No. In reply to a statement about an arrival from Rangoon who could not get the advance he wanted, the Minister asked. “Do you want the Statt Advances run as a political machine or a business concern?—A business concern. CLOSER SETTLEMENT Mr. M. G. Gribble, secretary of the league, said that large holdings might be made available for closer farm settlement. Juvenile immigration should be encouraged. Mr. McLeod said that there were many types of unoccupied land, pumice, swamp and gum and different men would be needed to understand them. He expressed a desire to have a further chat with members of the league, based upon a definite order of reference of what was desired, and he wanted them to meet members of the Cabinet in Wellington for this purpose. He stressed the burden of the overpowering mortgage, which he said was in some cases 120 per cent above the value of the land. How could any State department with a limit of 75 per cent, lending capacity assist this situation? If the moratorium had been kept in operation, he believed the position of the unpaid balances on land would have been far better to-day, and the man paying a reasonable rate of 6 per cent, or 7 per cent never would be displaced. Xo system of sound finance could meet the situation —the risk was too great. The league did not intimate whether or not it would meet the Minister in ‘ Wellington.