LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9634, 14 June 1919, Page 5

LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

ATTEMPT TO BRIBE A

POLITICIAN

All those schemes for settling the soldiers must be expected to bring a few crooked intricacies in their train, for there is a type of being who is always on the look-out for something *>asy, and many of these cannot be said to be gifted with the faculties of either honesty of purpose or honesty of dealings (states the Auckland;' 'Star. 3') This evident fact that humanity is not always so innocent as the- angels is conveyed by a practical example hidden in a story that comes upon the best possible authority, _ and concerns the oiler made to a politician. One day the politician, sitting at his desk, opened a letter that told of certain acres that were to be offered to the Government as a soldiers' settlement. These acres all seemed to be wonderfully rich, in fact they were especially designed and adapted by a beneficent (Providence to settle soldiers upon, and they were to be offered at a cheapness that was positively incredible. The communicator besought the politician to use his influence towards getting' the offer accepted, and intimated in the most casual sort of a way that there was a cheque for a cool thousand pounds awaiting this representative of the people the deal was definitely ■ conelucTeti. But it is fair to say that not every politician is crooked, in fact there are dozens of them who are straight as daylight, and in this case the man who made" the offer had mistaken his mark. Anyway this Parliamentarian sought out the sender of the document and asked him, with a cuiimngly simulated ' sympathy, who was "m the swim," and how much money was goino-' out in "perks." From the vague and hazy replies 'he gathered that about £2000 would cover all the extras, and then he sailed into the land- ! owner, telling him that those extra ! two thousands, coming through the Government, would have to be paid by the soldiers who might Fe settled on the acres in question, provided, or course, that the Government, would buy them. Then he told the man who offered,the. bribe that before the Government would consider his ofter this £2000 would have to be cut oft the price, with another £1000 as well, so that there would not be such an inducement to sell. So far nothing further has been heard of the offer.