"BREAKING IN" LAND

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 191, 13 August 1919, Page 9

"BREAKING IN" LAND

WORK FOR SOLDIERS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. A suggestion has been made that blocks oi undeveloped land should be acquired and "broken in" by groups of returned soldiers. The New Zealand Soldiers' Association has decided to ascertain the extent to which the proposed scheme will be attractive to returned men. With this object it lias made tentative inquiries, and it is understood tbe Minister for Lands is favourably disposed towards the scheme. The broad plan is that a number of returned soldiers, suitable to the size of the property to be acquired, will begin work at a contract rate, to be agreed upon for all that is necessary for pro- [ viding access, etc.. to the block. The sections into which the block will be sub-divided will be balloted for.

The Hon D. H. Guthrie, in reply to Mr. Jennings, M.P., says in view of the liabilities now being incurred in connection with the settlement of discharged soldiers on the land in question he cannot recommend the Government to pay the rates on lands purchased for the settlement of soldiers between the dates of acquisition by the Crown and the disposal to the soldier settler. It is his opinion that local bodies should bear this —in most cases small—loss, and thus help to establish discharged soldiers on the land with the best possible chances of success.