COUNTRY'S RESOURCES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 19, 10 June 1914, Page 2

COUNTRY'S RESOURCES.

Mil. MASSEY'S VIEWS. GKOWJNG IMPORTANCE OP FRUIT. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christclnirch, 'Tunc fi. There was a large attendance of members of tlie Canterbury Branch of the New Zealand Political Reform League at the King's Theatre this afternoon to hear an address from the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey). In the course of his speech, Mr. Massey said that fruit-growing was going to he one of the most important industries of the Dominion. As Minister of Agriculture he had visited the different fruit-growing districts of the Dominion —North of Auckland, the East Coast of Auckland, Nelson, Central Otago, and part of Westland —and he hud noticed' tremendous changes. In the Nelson district there was a locality known as the Moutero Hills. This land, from an agricultural point of view, looked like poor second-class land, hardly worthy of notice. A year or two ago it could have been bought at a very low figure, but now it could not he bought under £2O per acre. The reason was that it had been discovered that it was suitable for fruit-growing, and there were thousands of acres of it. Something similar was going on in Central Otago and in the North of Auckland. In view of the growing importance of the fruit-growing industry, he had come to the conclusion that it was right for the Government to encourage the industry as much as possible. Cool storage was necessary, and fruit-canning factories for stone fruit. For the these purposes Parliament had voted £IOO,OOO, and he, as Minister of Agriculture, When satisfied with the security offered, was able to advance sums up to £3OOO. This session he intended asking Parliament to increase the amount that could be lent in one sum, as it was pointed out that it was better to have large cool stores at ports than a large number of small cool stores all over the country. In view of the fact that, in a very few years, the Dominion would be exporting apples to the value of £1,000,000, it was the duty of the Government to encourage the fruit industry. (Applause.) NEW USE FOR GUM LANDS. The utilisation of the gum lands in Auckland was also touched upon by Mr. Masscy. He stated that the gum industry was almost gone, and it was incumbent upon the government to put something in its place. This land was also specially suitable for fruit-growing purposes, and he' had arranged with the Survey Department for sections of twenty-five acres and upwards to be cut up. These holdings could be occupied for five years without payment of rent, and, if, at the end of that time, the tenant had shown himself to be a bona-fide settler, he would be given the freehold of his land at a nominal figure. A mouth ago the Survey Department had told him that t'hey had had 126 applications, and had said that they believed that a rush would come when people realised what was being clone. "That is only a sample," said Mr. Massey, "of what we have been doing in New Zealand in the last two years." ' IMMIGRATION. Referring to immigration, Ml'. Masscy said that only' two classes of people ■had been encouraged—domestic servants and farmers, or farm laborers. Domestic servants were practically brought here free of charge to themselves. The country was heavily in debt, and it was necessary to secure a larger population. "But we don't want Hindus," he said. "Next session I hope to put through legislation that will make it impossible for Hindus to come to this couutry. I feel very strongly on this subject. We don't want Hindus at all." (Applause). He was plcasfi'j, he added, that NewZealand had been able to hold her own so far as immigration was concerned in connection with other Dominions. In view of the men who rose from the ranks, and of the movement to the towns, it was essential that the ranks of the producers should be strengthened by the supply of laborers. The more producers a country had the better it was for that country. Mr. Massey then outlined the recent scheme which had introduced a number of boys into the country, and replied to criticism against their introduction.