IT.—lla.

Fund. As is well known, this society was incorporated some five years ago with the object of engaging unemployed married men in the development of suitable land in the Waikato district and the settlement thereon of men selected from those engaged on the initial development-work. A very valuable contribution to land-development has been made by the society, which throughout has displayed a keen and enthusiastic interest in furthering the project. Originally financed by voluntary contributions, the scheme was advanced to a stage when it was considered desirable that it should be incorporated with the Government's general land-development proposals, and arrangements in this direction were satisfactorily finalized. Although all expenditure is now found from State funds, the original directors of the society are still the principal factors in the practical administration of its functions. An extension of the Government's land-development schemes is represented by the work already put in hand in the Thames and Te Kuiti districts on Crown properties, whereby the whole of the labourcosts in connection with the re-establishment of these Crown securities is being provided from the Employment Promotion Fund. The employment of some 400 men will be provided by this work. As an illustration of what may be achieved in the way of providing employment in the direction of land development, it is interesting to examine a typical case of farm-development work carried out with the aid of a subsidy from, the Employment Promotion Fund on a property situated in a recognized farming-area in the North Island. The area cleared amounted to 200 acres, and the clearing-cost to £400, of which the occupier contributed £200, the balance being the subsidy granted from the Fund. This was only the initial expenditure. Immediately the land was cleared it had to be sown, and working on a basis of 301b. of seed per acre at 21s. per 301b. of seed, the seed cost was £210. In addition to the purchase price of the seed, the freight, cartage, and incidental charges relating to the •shipping of, say, 3 tons of seed amounted to approximately £16, while the packing of the seed and the surface sowing over 200 acres cost approximately £30. Consequent upon the sowing, fencing was necessary ; and in this case approximately 80 chains of fencing at 10s. per chain was carried out. In addition, however, the splitting of 300 posts and 1,000 battens was required, and the cost of these, together with that of packing the wire, posts, and battens to the fence-line amounted to £30. The total expenditure on the area, therefore, amounted to £726, of which the landowner was required to .meet all except the £200 subsidy in respect of the labour cost of the clearing and a subsidy of £35 on the fencing. In other words, an outlay of private capital of almost £500 was directly brought about by the expenditure of £235 from the Employment Promotion Fund. It is interesting to note that from an analysis of the figures it is estimated that apart from the actual clearing, which is all labour, "80 per cent, of the owner's contribution, or £260, is expended directly and indirectly on labour, the necessity for which was brought about by the clearing of the bush and scrub from the land. The cost of such development might vary according to the nature of the land, but, while on light land the cost would be proportionately less, on heavy bush country it would, be greater, and there is no doubt that this case may be regarded as a general illustration of the cumulative effect on employment due to the development of land. The eradication of ragwort and other noxious weeds has been a useful avenue for promoting work on a full-time basis at standard rates of wages. This work is arranged on a forty-hour-week basis, and one of the schemes under which it is carried out is controlled by County Councils under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture. The rate of wages is that prescribed by the governing award or industrial agreement, subject to a minimum rate of 16s. 6d. per day. The Agriculture Department provides 2s. per day towards the labour-cost, and the balance is provided by way of a subsidy from the Employment Promotion Fund. An alternative scheme enables the placement of labour with individual farmers for the eradication of ragwort, and in these cases the work is also arranged on a forty-hour-week basis, with a minimum rate of wages of 16s. per day, the Employment Promotion Fund contributing towards the labour-cost by providing a subsidy on the basis of 455. and 30s. per man-week, married and single men respectively. Recognizing the necessity for preventive measures against the spread of fireblight in certain areas and the limited finance available to fireblight committees, the Employment Promotion Fund is assisting committees in fireblight areas by a subsidy of £3 10s. per week on the wages of fireblight inspectors selected from the register of eligible unemployed, provided that the wages are at least equivalent to the minima stiprilated in the Agricultural Workers' Extension Order, 1937. A considerable area of " pakihi " land, Westport District, has been developed and improved to a state that is suitable for grazing purposes. This land was originally tested by the Cawthron Institute as an experimental effort. The success attending the early experiments led to the decision to make available from the Employment Promotion Fund the full wages-cost of improvement and development of this class of land as well as the costs of further experimentation. Direct assistance or assistance by way of subsidized labour has been made available to orchardists who suffered loss through frost damage. In the latter case subsidies of 455. and 30s. per week for married and single men respectively are granted subject to the employer engaging registered and eligible unemployed workers and paying them a weekly wage in accordance with the Agricultural Workers' Act, 1936, and Extension Order, of 1.937. A sum of £40,000 has been set aside from the Employment Promotion Fund as a grant for assistance to orchardists in respect of fruit grown and sold by them in the Dominion. The scheme is administered by the Department of Agriculture, the general method of distribution being approved by the Department of Labour, and is to be regarded as a temporary measure for one season. The Department of Agriculture is undertaking a comprehensive survey of the whole industry with a view to its rehabilitation. With the object of relieving a shortage of experienced general farm labourers, dairy and/or sheep farmers are offered assistance of physically fit but inexperienced single youths and men between the

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