CLOSER SETTLEMENT

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 75, 1 May 1930, Page 3

CLOSER SETTLEMENT

PRESENT NEEDS OF THE DOMINION. FOPULARISING FARMING WITH YOUNGEll GENERATION. POSITION IN HAWKE'S BAY. .During tbeir recent tour through the Dominion, tbe Empire farmers expressed tbe opinion that although a very large portion of the Dominion had been developed to a very great extent, there was still much scope for further improveinent and the country cculd, with prolit, maintain a much larger _ agricultural population. Coming from a country where intensive farming is indulged in to such an extent, it was only to be expected that tbey would have some comment to make upon the more free and easy farming metliods cf tbe Dominion, but at the same time there is not the slightost doubt that their opinion is correot and tbeir comment merited. The most crying need of tliis Dominion at the moment is a policy of progressive land settlement and development. Sub-division, however unpalatable the sound of the word may be to the big runholder, must eventually eome into being with a wide sweep in this Dominion if we are going to prevent ourselves from economic suicide. The present position in the Dominion is that the majority of lads leaving school are flocking to the towns and cities to be absorbed in secondary industnes, while the ranks of the workers' in the primary industries which supplv the capital to feed those secondary industries are being steadily depleted. Such a situation cannot of course continue indefinitelv without a crasli coming. The key to tbe situation rests in enticing the younger generation generally to take more interest in farming and tliat can only be done by offering them an opportunity of getting a small property of their own after they have bad a good schooling in the points of tbe gamev and acqnired a fund of farming knowledge in the hard school of experience. One can hardly blame the average la'd under present conditions for not betraying any wild entliusiasm about farming as a calling, with the exorbitant pricet asked for land placing the acquirement of a property of his own beyond his wildesty dreams. Outside of tbe ; youth of our Dominion, there are the liuge numbers of young immigrants who have been brought out to the Dominion under various schemes the Public Schools Immigration Scheme being a notable example, and who after a training on the land are now faced with no earthly prospect of being able to start on their own. Numbers of these -have turned their backs on farming and I for one do not tliink that tbey are to be blamed in any degree for so doing under the present conditions. On all sides of us in this particular district of Hawke's Bay, we have ample illustration of the progress' tliat ig being made by the small farmer. Subdivision of the flat Iands in the Hastings and intermediate districts has resulted in a phenomenal wealth of production in those areas. There are acres and acres of less fertile country in Hawke's Bay to-day, which, with the application of modern farming methods, could be brouglit into a far greater state of productivity tban is tbe case to-day and as in Hawke's Bay, so in every other province in tbe Dominion. The cry throughout the Dominion to. day is for land and land at a reasonable figure and it is up to the Government to take all tbe steps in their power tp meet the demand. The future of tbe Dominion rests with the farming community and by increasing the productivity of tbe Dominiou's farming lands and by . encouraging settlement thereon the Government would be doing an jmmense amount of good and their action would spel! the future salvation of the Dominion/