LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 309, 29 December 1915, Page 6

LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

HAWKE'S BAY BLOCKS NOW READY. The return of another large contingent of New Zealand soldiers by the Maheno at the end of the week again draws attention to the Government's proposals for placing suitable men on the land. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey) informed a "Star" representative this morning that steady progress was being made with the scheme, and up to the present 70,000 acres had been definitely set apart for returned soldiers. Most of this was in Hawke's Bay district, and was considered to be good land, quite suitable for the purpose. Provisionally there had been set apart 439,000 acres, which included 134,000 acres in Auckland district, 05,000 in Taranaki, 74,000 in Wellington, 31,000 in Marlborough, 26,000 in Southland, and 17,000 in Otago. A large proportion of the land in Otago was country only suit-able-for fruitgrowing, and required to be irrigated. Arrangements wcTe now being made to bring water from one of the rivers to the blocks.

So far, continued the Premier, only a comparatively small proportion of the men had returned, and there had not been a great demand for land, but the Government was anticipating the time when the main body would return, and Was preparing for it. In the meantime the surveys would be made, and these ■were now actively proceeding in the Hawke's Bay district. Some of the lands were already surveyed and ready for occupation. These were the smaller blocka,.suitable. for,,what might be called semi-suburban settlement.

Questioned with regard to the probable initial capital that would be required by the returned soldier before he could take advantage of the Government's scheme, Mr. Massey replied that it was impossible to mention even a general figure, owing to the great disparity in circumstances. The capital required for sheep farming, dairying, fruit fanning, and crop-growing varied widely, while the experience of the applicant was such an important factor that no figure could safely be quoted as the probable minimum amount of capital that would be required.