LAND SETTLEMENT.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 39, 10 December 1920, Page 6

LAND SETTLEMENT.

When there are such a large number of returned soldiers seeking land, as evinced hy the many applicants still appearing at ballots, it is the duty of the Government to open 'up with all possible specd the areas of suitable unproductive land still to be found in the Dominion. We are not out to -criticise the raie of settlement in the years before the war, but undoubtedly the rate requ s to be accelerated now. Leading economists have stated that the need of New Zealand at the present tim© is increased production, and the Prime Minister has given nnqualified endorsement to this view. Increas,ed production can be brought about by several methcds ; the two which commeiid themselves to us are further settlement and closer settlement. In view of the neecl for further settlement attention .should be focussed on the undevekpcd hinds suitable for farming. Un. douhtedly the pioueers of the eariy days were enabled to select the , best of the country and the belief is commen that the rem g, acres must necessarily be poor and rough and not worth snbdivision and closer settlement. Perhaps the undeveloped Crown lands still remaining are for the most part unattractvie, but we would like to draw attention to the undeveloped native lands in our* midst. The native lands have been a bar to progress whereever they exist. The native is not prepared to develop his land with the result that native lands have been a bar to progress in those parts of the Dominion where native land is to be found in large blocks. Southland is not without these barriers and in the interest of the native owners and the Dominion as a whole it is time these lands at present lying idle were made availabie for European settlement. One particularly good block of 1-andless native land is that generally known as the Alton Block, situated betwe,en the Waiau River and The Hump, and comprising in all some 40,000 acres. It was perriinent'y reserved for la-ndless natives in 1908, but since that date, apart from collecting some timber royalty from sawmillers wOrking on the edge of the block the native owners have reaped no benefit, and the whole block is still in its primeval conditiou. Settlement in the west has reached the limit until this block is developed, either by the native owners themselves or through the land fceirg thrown open for selec'tioir by Europeans. Power is not wantiag to enable the Government to deal with these la-ndless native lands in Southland. The Native Land Act Amendment Act, 1919^ empower^ the Gov.ernor to ves.t landless native lands in ihe land boards, who it is presumed will hold the land in trust for the native owners and lea.se to Europeans. The Alton block is a very suitable block for further settlement, situated as it is close to the growing town of Tuatapere and the railway. If Mr Massey is sincere in his clesire for settlement, more settlement and still more settlement, he will take immediate steps to have the block vested ir the Land Board, roaded and then thrown open for selectiori and settle 200 discharged soldiers. . The question of native lands in Southland is one that ' the Southland League could with advantage investigate. We do not mind who is instrumental in moving the Government to action in the matter so long as action results and the Digger in search of land is accommodated.