Land Settlement in Australia.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 66, 22 March 1904, Page 4

Land Settlement in Australia.

The question of attracting immigration to the Australian Common- I wealth is forcing itself upon the ser- ! ious attention of the Federal Gov- : eminent. It has also, so far as New South Wales is concerned, received some notice from State Ministers. On this subject the ActingPremier (Mr Wise) says : —"The best Method of assisting immigration to the states has been a matter of discussion amongst Ministers. We have by 110 means lost sight of the question, ami when Mr Crick returns ! lVom New Zealand some definite proI posals will probably be made on the subject. The settlement of the peo- ' pie on the land is the keynote to inducing population to come to the Slate. Tiie question of immigration from beyond the Commonweal! ii is. however, outside the domain oi the State's influence and n-sls with the Federal OovernmetU." Referring to this matter, the S\dney Uaih Telegraph states :—"Ministers are oi opinion that it is 110 use endeavouring to secure an addition lo our population from other Slates. unless we can oiler them suitable land on which to settle. Where possible, the Cabinet favours settlement 011 small blocks of land, and if our own people were thus able to obtain homesteads, it is* considered that people from other States would be attracted, thus probably leading to 1 immigration from abroad. There is a good deal of land open for settlement, but not readily available, owing to the lack of roads to enable pvopie to send their produce to market. This is a problem that Ministers have to settle. In .New Zeutaiul good land can be obtained in less than li>M~acre blocks, ami tho Settlers, dmigg the iirsi, year or two are employed by the (iov.inment iu constructing loads. Thi>: involves co-opeiu ti i 'ii between t lie Lairds and the iioads and liridec:IVpartinenf. and suggests n possiihiway of solving th«- question of roadmaking here. J luv,.. \ ei-, ~M iniM e|\s state that ih-.y are guide.l \, r V mnrii 'by Mr Crick in dialing uiih !.:-<! matters, and when h>- r. -turns Jnu.i New 'Zealand he may havv s<uuet hiirr

to Say on 111.' subject. A 1110 Vole,',, 1 in the 'tii r< i.-( ion of throwing op,-n laud mi- rli. >,•; I !.-i,n■!!! hii.s commenced, an oilier of ih,, 11,-paii-men!, All- lt.wiii, having been doplibd to \isit tin: in >rt!i.-i-ii ami other ilisIricls Willi i In- ob-oct of report inn' on lands that would In- suitable bathe purpose, including a number of areas set apart us reserves. 'flio whole matter oilami sol tlcmeilt will, it is understood, shortly be more fully considered by Ministers.