THAT TWELVE MILLIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 210, 4 September 1919, Page 7

THAT TWELVE MILLIONS.

R.S.A. PRESIDENT SPEAKS OUT. I REVISION OF LAND POLICY WANTED THE GAMBLE IN HOUSES. I The announcement that the Government proposes to raise a further twelve' and a half millions for the settlement of ; the soldiers upon the land again call» attention to the question of whether the money, if authorised, should .be allocated to the rendering of financial assistance to returned soldiers for the •purchase of private farms and house properties, and to the acquisition of improved settlement lands, or should be mainly devoted to the development of tire Crown and other unimproved native lands. A considerable portion of the amount asked for has already been earmarked for the completion of transactions already authorised, and in Auckland alone, the "Star" was informed in an authoritative 60urce this morning, there is something over £70,000 unpaid purchase money or outstanding to complete the purchase of house ahd farm properties. These have been approved during a period extending over several months, but have not been completed owing to the temporary difficulties of finance experienced by the Lands Department. When approached on the subject this ■morning, Mr. George Elliott, the president of the Auckland (Returned Soldiers' Association, expressed the view that, while he was appreciative of the work dpne by the Lands "Department under the Act in obtaining houses for the men who had returned, he also recognised that the time had now come ,when a halt should be called in the matter of

financing the purchase of houses on account of the fillip it had given to values and speculation. Future moneys spent in the direction of the housing of men who had returned from the war should be along the lines of creating j more houses and lessening the competition for those now on the market. Similarly, in regard to farming lands, Mr. Elliott spoke strongly in favour of j a change of policy so that more atten- ! tion would be paid to the development !of the unimproved lands, now producing j nothing. He did not hold with the plac- j ing of men on highly improved lands, some of which were too high priced to . enable men to make a success. He knew : of a recent case where two practical ' men who were seeking land had preferred to take up sawmilling rather than try- . out a certain improved property in the | North. [ In regard to another improved.estate to be opened, a highly practicable man had" expressed the opinion that the sol- ■ diers would find the price of the land too j big a hurdle to be overcome. It is a particularly opportune time for endeavI owing to settle the soldiers upon a big | scale, aiming at the opening up of the I unimproved lands under conditions where, by co-operation and wholesale purchase, the men could be placed there|onat a minimum cost. In regard to the ! gum and bushlands, Mr. Elliott urged that these shourd be opened up in large blocks where men, under supervision, ! could be taught how to break in and ' farm the lands, and the area could be 1 treated as a whole until such time as 1 the soldiers took over their sections in- ' dividually. He was personally in favour of the Repatriation Department experi- , menting along these lines. The argument ' ; would, of course, be raised that the - larger blocks were inaccessible, but they had got to be opened up, and these diffi- ! culties would have to be overcome. In the same way it might be objected that ' the men would not go back where their i opportunities of social enjoyment were ' restricted, but he desired to point out • .that the opening up of the bushlands lon real setttlement lines would create communities sufficiently large to give opportunity of social intercourse.