The Daily New TUESDAY, JULY 14. A "BURSTING-UP" POLICY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 174, 14 July 1908, Page 2

The Daily New TUESDAY, JULY 14. A "BURSTING-UP" POLICY.

A cablegram on Thursday stated that the Victorian Minister for Agriculture, referring to the heavy faHing-nll' in the export of agricultural products, said that, no doubt the lime was rapidly arriving when a policy of breakiug-up big estates for agricultural purposes must lie adopted. In a recent speech oil the land question, the Minister said that the (iovernmeut could open up a million acres in the .Malice or the pine-ridge country, but the provision of water, railways, and other facilities to production had to be undertaken, and here -arose the original dilliculty of enormous expense. Money would have to be borrowed for that. Was the Government compelled to settle people in the backblocks while 3,500 people controlled twothirds of tin* occupied lands of the State, and lauds, 100, mostly within a fair distance of railways'! Was the Government compelled to drive settlers back to undergo the hardships and privations of developing the Mallee, to do pioneer work in the vast silent forests, and to break their hearts amongst the giant trees while 1,001) people owned 10% million acres'! Was the Government to be compelled to maintain high freights on the railways while business was stagnating! Commerce was standing still while 10.5 people enjoyed (i'/a million acres in comparative ease and comfort.