LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 155, 30 June 1916, Page 7

LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

ANOTHER AREA IN* AUCKLAND DISTRICT. (Dy Telegraph.—l"ar]lamcntary Reporter.) •WELLINGTON, Thursday. In reply to inquiries from members to-day, the Prime Minister announced that if, as time went on, it was found that a sufficient number of sections ha<l been acquired, not only to provide for those engaged in the present war, but also for men who took part in the South African war. and were now desirous of getting on the land, he would bo pleased to make provision for them. i (Hear, hear.) j Mr. Massey went on to say that the Government were doing their beat to I provide land for returned soldiers, and, I with a certain amount of success. Only ] that day he had been informed that an- | other small block of 012 acres of alluvial 'flats, particularly suitable for dairying, . j and situated on Wairangi Flat, about eight miles east of Tekawhata railway ! station, Auckland, had been acquired. ' SETTLERS ON SERVICE. 1 The Minister of Lands waa asked by ; Mr. Jenning3 to instruct Crown Land I Boards to grant remissions of rent to ' | wives of soldiers who, before leaving for '; the front, transferred their sections to JI their wives. Land Boards had refused Ito grant remissions to wives, though ! I they readily gave them to soldiers. '] Mr. Massey stated that Boards had ' i full power to inquire into every case, ■ and make recommendations He had 1 received hundreds of favourable recom--1 mendations, not one of which he turned down. If Land Boards inquired into cases of soldiers' wives, and made similar recommendations, he would willingly give effect to them. NO FAVOURITISM. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. At the Wellington Land Board meeting an exceptionally large number of applications were receiv-d for five sections of land in Wainuiom Survey District, Before proceeding with the ballot, the Commissioner briefly addressed appli- , I cants. Referring to the settlement of I discharged soldiers on the land, he stated that the Board was carrying out the . work as quickly as possible. He had heard it rumoured that the Board was giving all the land to men with money. That was untrue, and was not fair to the Board. The Board was giving the right of entering ballots to those appli- , cants whose examination had shown ', they could reasonably finance their undertaking and whom 'the Board judged could carry out work successfully. The Board intended to give successful applicants a week in which to find the first half-year's rent. That would prove that the Board was not favouring men ! with money, but giving all a fair opportunity. The result of the ballot was as follows: — Section 1, Block 5, 533 acres—E. R Elliott (39 applicants). Section 2, Black 5, 316 acres—A. C. Smith (36 applicants). Section 1, Block 9. 481 acres 2 roods — . F. W. Goblin (35 applicants). Section 2, Block 9, 395 acres—Harold H. Smith (33 applicants). Section 3, Block 9, 592 acres—James i Barnard (33 applicants).