LAND FOR FORMER SERVICEMEN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 134, 18 March 1948, Page 6

LAND FOR FORMER SERVICEMEN

Soldier Settlement Advocated

MEETING AT RAKAIA The main aim of the R.S.A. was to speed up land settlement. In their desire to obviate the mistakes made in settling returned servicemen after the last war, the R.S.A. had possibly made “things too tight,” said Mr C. Miln, district vice-president of the Christchurch R.S.A. at a meeting of the Christchurch, Ashburton and subbranches R.S.A. lands committees held in Rakaia last night.

Messrs G. Watt and K. M. Power, land development officers in the Lands and Survey Department, were also present. . The R.S.A., continued Mr Millie, now felt that restrictions placed on the degree of development necessary on farms, before they could be taken over by ex-servicemen, could be loosened up. There were too many ex-service-men waiting for farms, and the R.S.A. felt that the situation warranted exservicemen taking over and developing many farms themselves. Government officials had to obey the policy in force, and it was the duty of the R.S.A. to drive for the loosening of restrictions.

The meeting then discussed in committee negotiations, going on at present, for the purchase of several properties for ex-servicemen in the MidCanterbiiryt area. Mr T. V. Wilkinson (Rakaia R.S.A.) said that the whole scheme of land settlement was in danger of collapsing unless matters were speeded up. The ex-servicemen were losing interest. They had waited so long for farms that they had given up hope, and turned to other jobs. Mr Wilson (Methven R.S.A.) said that every day members of the lands committee were asked what was going to happen to certain blocks. The lands committee had no reply to give. They did. not know whether the land would be taken and settled this year, or within the next five years.

Scarcity of Materials

Mr Wilson referred to the delay occasioned by the subdivision of properties because of the scarcity of wire, machinery and other materials. The blocks were being held by the Crown until they had been fenced, houses built and other improvements made. He asked if production on these farms was to lag in the meantime. He instanced McGirr’s block at Lyndhurst. Mr Power, in reply, stated that the scarcity of materials was a major problem. The Department required 66 tons of wire last, year, and had received only three tons. The department had not yet acquired the McGirr property. The plan for the subdivision had been made last year. There was only one house on the property, and another suitable dwelling would have to bo erected. Wire would have' to be found for fencing. In the meantime it was Ihc department’s intention to put in 100 acres of wheat when they acquired the property.

Irrigated Areas

Asked why men were to work on wages on irrigated blocks, Mr Watt replied that the men who were settled on these blocks admitted that they knew very little about irrigation farming. It was a new type of farming. In addition, it took some time to bring the land into the required order for irrigation farming, and the department considered it in the best interests of the men Uiemselves 1o put them on wages,, for two or three years-, while they gained experience, before they took "over the whole financial responsibility of running the farms. Mr Watt was asked whether it was difficult to acquire farms under part two of servicemen’s Land Sales and Settlement Act. He stated that 'human nature being what _it was. some difficulties wore experienced in taking land from the owners, lie instanced ways in wliic-h delays occurred under part two of the act. Mr Wilkinson said that no land voluntarily offered to the Crown should lie turned down before the local R.S.A. was consulted. He had received a letter from the Otago R.S.A., in which" it was stated that the department and the R.S.A. had differed over many farms voluntarily offered. The department had thought them uneconomic units and the R.S.A. considered them economic. They had appealed to Wellington and the Undersecretary for Lands had beep sent down and acted as “referee.” The matters had been settled entirely to the satisfaction of the Otago R.S.A. The speaker stressed the point that land voluntarily offered should not be turned down unless it was definitely incapable of improvement, and absolutely uneconomical. The delays experienced in taking land stressed this necessity.

Members of the R.S.A. present fell that the local committees in MidCanterbury were consulted before land was definitely refused. Mr A. W. Allan (Rakaia) instanced a case in which the local committee had disagreed with the department concerning a block of land. The department- had gone to the trouble ot revaluing the property in question after hearing the local committee’s views. Mr C. Miln thanked Messrs Watt and Power for voluntarily giving of their time to attend the meeting. Many matters had been cleared up, and he thought that: the Christchurch R.S.A. lands committee, and the Ashburton R.S.A. and sub-branches’ lands committees should meet every three months to pool information.

Present at the meeting: Messrs C. A. Inch, T. V. Wilkinson. H. It. Hollis, A. W. Allan (Rakaia), C. Mill) G. A. Franks ‘(Christchurch), A. 0. Cindd. W. Tv. Wilson. L. L. Richards (Mothvon). (!. Welsh (Ashburton). M. C. Jenkins (Darfield), W. TP; Tyson (Springs!on).