SETTLERS’ PROBLEMS

Taranaki Daily News, 25 November 1926, Page 11

SETTLERS’ PROBLEMS

MINISTER’S VIEWS USE OF SECOND-CLASS LAND. COSTS MUST COME DOWN. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. “If the scant space given by the Auckland Press in reporting a three hours’ discussion on land problems is an indication of the importance of the subject to the public of this Dominion/’ said the Hon. A. D. MeLeod, Minister of Lands, ■“then it is only of passing note compared with the importance of beauty competitions. “About 250 people were present at the meeting, and not less than fifteen took an active part in the discussion, the majority of the speakers expressing the opinion that unless means eould be devised for greatly reducing the cost of production, it would be worse than useless to attempt to bring in any considerable proportion of the unoccupied Crown lands. “The general trend of the discussion showed that while the inflated values caused by the war boom had played their full part in to-day’s problems, in respect of the settled lands, it was far from being the only cause, as less than 25 per cent, of tire occupied holdings of the Dominion changed hands during the boom for other than non-speeulativc reasons. “What is alarming so many of our practical farmers who have been in occupation of second and third grade lands for twenty years and longer,” said the Minister, “is the fact that while in prewar days, they could comfortably meet the expense required to check reversion t. manuka and other second growths which are recognised as an ever recurring charge on such lands, they find that to-day the increase in labour and other costings is retarding improvements, preventing maintenance, and in some cases resulting in the abandonment of the holdings. “Consequently any commission of inquiry competent to advise on this phase of an economic problem, wliich is seriously affecting other countries as well as our own, will he welcomed not only by the settlers, but also by the Government, both of whom are equally anxious to find a solution. COSTS TO THE FARMERS. “On the one hand settlers are receiving a bare pre-war return for their produce, while on the other the cost of practically every farm necessity has increased by not less than 100 per cent. “All these points were strongly stressed by every practical farmer who spoke at the Auckland conference, but apparently it did not strike the attention of the Press representatives present, as those opinions were not featured in the report of the proceedings. “While city agents and such boosters are urging men to go out and be the ‘backbone’ of the country, the farmer is inquiring why it is necessary for city newspapers to maintain an increase of 100 per cent, in the price of their papers; why it is that although the farmer receives about 8s for the raw wool required to make a suit, when he goes along to his tailor for the finished article the price is £lO 10s! Why it is that, although he sells fruit on the farm at less than a penny per pound, when he goes to a shop to buy it back again it costs him anything up to sixpence! Why it is that when he seeks to obtain some control over what he produces, he is called a Bolshevik and is informed that no Britisher will stand for pricefixing, while at the same time he knows that everything he needs is as effectually controlled as if fixed by the laws of the Medes and Persians? “Those are the things the farmer wants to have answered by the city critics who tell him to be a good boy, go out back and don’t ask inconvenient questions. “Here is a letter which, I am sorry to say, is typical of many I receive. Although short, it speaks volumes: ‘I have been 16 years on this place, carving a home out of the bush. Until 1921, although we often went short, we managed to battle through. But since then things have got steadily worse. This year, I am sorry to say, we are right up against it. The wife had another little one (making five now) and the doctor’s bill for this and the dentist’s charges for seeing to the other children’s teeth ran into £33. Our rent comes to £3B per year, and we’re wondering whether you eould see your, way, sir, to remit or postpone it for this year.’ ”