ALMOST CRIMINAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 124, 25 May 1916, Page 8

ALMOST CRIMINAL.

LAND FOB SOLDIERS. CRITIC OF TARANAKI RESERVATIONS. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The Government announcement tbat 08,122 acres in the Taranaki land dtetrict had been set aside for discharged soldiers drew ' strong criliciem from the; Taranaki member (Mr. Wilkinson) who described this land as the worst and moqt broken dv the district. Mr. Jennings: Absolutely unsuitable for eoldiere. ■Mr. Wilkinson: It is absolutely unsuitable for men without means. The land is only fit for settlement in large areae by men with fair means. ("The cure," he added, "was to be found in the purchase of good areas of, land, ia the same province. No better field was available for a soldiers' settlement. Anyone travelling from Wanganui to Hawera by train could see some of the best farms for email settlement in NewZealand." He urged the Government not only to take individual farms, but to acquire whole slices of country, go at .it wholesale, cutting the land into 50-acre farms. They could, settle thousands of men on this land, assuring returned soldiers a regular income, dnstead. of sticking them forty of fifty miles into the backblocke, where they 'had no. roade. The particular area mentioned by the Premier did not contain enougli level land in a thousand acres to build a house. Mr. Jennings: It would break theii hearts. Mr. Wilkinson: It is almost criminal for the Government to send nicn away back to settle on small pieces. We should drive baVk people with capital and large holdings near the railway, using the latter areas for returned soldiers.