LAND SETTLEMENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 541, 19 December 1928, Page 6

LAND SETTLEMENT

REDUCING LOCAL TAXATION MR. G. W. RICHARDS’S VIEWS “The -welfare of every section of j the community depends on land settlement. This is our first step j toward true prosperity because it j is our most valuable natural asset.” This is the opinion of Mr. G. j Richards, of Otorohanga, chairman of j the Deteriorated Lands Committee ; and member of the Revaluation. Board, j who outlined a scheme to The Sun yesterday. “We have other assets, of course,” j said Mr. Richards. ‘‘Among them aie j ■water-power and our scenic heavies, ’ and the latter will, if properly ex- j ploited, pay for the maintenance and l construction of our roads in .the | future.” Mr. Richards maintains that a i wholesale borrowing policy, though j productive of temporary prosperity, j cannot be permanent until such time i as the costs of production can be; lowered to enable the farmer to pro- ; duce on a sound economic basis. “I consider blew Zealand, as a partly ; developed farm,” said Mr. Richards, j “From that point of view the first j question is, what part of the farm; will bring in the greatest revenue in j the shortest time? X maintain that j every effort should he concentrated on | the land that is at present under cul- j tivation, and the policy of whatever j party is in power should be toward a | land . settlement scheme that will j prove economically sound.” Mr. Richards said motor traffic | should be discouraged from running in competition with the railways. Motors should be encouraged to act as feeders for heavy traffic on the railways. The railways should carry manure absolutely free, because every ton of manure judiciously put on the land was a payable proposition to. the State. “Those lands already in occupation, which are in all stages of development or wholly unimproved, some already served with, transport facilities, can be made to produce such, an immense volume of wealth as will absorb all our own unemployed and pave the way to develop our inferior lands and secondary industries. “The whole aim is to reduce local taxation, which is such a big item to the ordinary farmer, and by the exploitation of the natural scenic beauties of the Dominion and the provision of good roads, sufficient tourist revenue can be gained to pay for the roads themselves, thus taking- one of the farmer’s heaviest burdens from him.

“It is unfortunate that many people are under the impression, particularly in Labour circles, that immigration would increase unemployment. It would prove quite the reverse' under economic production, for the more people employed at reproductive work and the harder we all work in the country, the greater will be the volume of business and employment Jn the cities to cope with the increased production, to the benefit of all.

“If primary products can be produced at a margin of profit over cost, increased production will be very great,” concluded Mr. Richards. “When the public and the Press and the political parties realise that the first essential is the reduction of the burden on the farmer, so that a land settlement scheme can be developed on a sound economic basis, we will be on the right road to prosperity.”