OVERSEAS SETTLEMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 November 1922, Page 10

OVERSEAS SETTLEMENT.

.WEST AUSTRALIAN SCHEME. 75,000 NEW EMIGRANTS. SELECTION OF FARMERS. Perth, October 21. The draft agreement between Great Britain, the Commonwealth, and Western Australia for a joint scheme of immigration and land settlement provides that the State Government agrees, at an estimated cost, excluding parages, of £'0,000,000, to settle in the southwestern division about 75,000 new immigrants, men, women, and children, from the United Kingdom, and to establish about -6000 men selected from such immigrants on 6000 additional farms. It is provided that the Commonwealth shall raise for Western Australia such loans as are necessary, Western Australia to pay interest. Great Britain and the Commonwealth shall, as a contribution toward the cost of such scheme, each pay half-yearly for five years one-third, a percentage equivalent to the cost of the number of new immigrants provided for by the State below 75,000, or men established on farms below 6000. The State Government agrees to use its- best efforts to secure that settlers are treated fairly in all respects while in private employ. The State Government agrees that all immigrants on arrival shall be placed in suitable employment in country districts. Immigrants who prove most suitable while employed will be placed in groups of 20 or more under supervision partially to clear 'blocks of suitable land which will form farms up to 160 acres each, or, in special cases, settled individually. On each farm the group will collectively clear or partially clear at least 25 acres, or, on special farms, a smaller area, if sufficient to support a settler, so that it will be fit for ploughing. On each farm the group will erect a house and out-buildings, fencing, and arrange for satisfactory water supply. Materials for these purposes are to be provided by the State Government. White clearing and doing other work referred to the settlers will be entitled to receive advances in the form of wages from the State Government not exceeding 10s a day. After being cleared the farms -will be allotted to members- of the group by ballot. The State Government will provide each settler to whom a ifarm is allotted with reasonable equipment and stock. On taking possession of the farm the settler will be required to undertake to reimburse the State Government for the amount expended on the farm. The debt charge, including a charge for supervision, will not exceed £lOOO. The settler will not be required to make any other payment for the farm, either on account of the land in its undeveloped state or of construction of railways, roads, and other general development works, apart from drainage and water. The debt charge will be secured to the Government by mortgage on the property, to be paid off over a period df 30 years, together with interest at .not more than 1 per cent, above the rate at which the Government borrowed the money. For the first five years interest only shall be paid. In the next 25 years the debt shall be completely repaid.