SOLDIER SETTLEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 282, 26 November 1921, Page 12

SOLDIER SETTLEMENT.

WHAT ARE THE LOSSES 7 MINISTER CROSS-EXAMINED. , (By Telegraph.— Parliamentary ißeporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. A difference of opinion in regard to the results of soldier settlement was disclosed in. the House . when the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. 'Wilford, took advantage of the presentation of the annual report on the Discharged Soldier Settlements .to ask the Minister of Lands for an explanation of certain figures he had quoted some time ago. Mr. Wilford said that the Minister had stated that there had been 266 forfeitures and 19 foreclosures, and a total loss of £10,000 on soldier settlement. Was that, he asked, a candid statement or was it not only misleading but absolutely incorrect '! Mr. Wilford quoted from a newspaper cutting to show that Tepayments totalled £1,156,433, arrears £356,----270, postponements £109,549, less £14,855 since repaid, or nearly £450,000, or. 40 per cent of the amount repaid. It was not to be expected that there would not be some loss, but hisp oint was that the country was entitled to know the real position.

The Minister said that the figures he had quoted had been supplied to him by the Department, and were absolutely correct.

Mr. Wilford: Do you deny the arrears?

The Minister: I will tell you.all about that.

Mr. Wilford: Do you deny the arrears. The Minister: I will tell you all about that. Mr. Wilford: Won't you answer that? The Minister of Agriculture: He is not in the witness-box.- -. Mr. Guthrie: Here is , the position: Advances made in the different districts amount to £18,488,853, the repayments amount to £1,261,448, the arrears to £310,738, and postponements" to £151,836, but postponements arc not arrears. Postponements repaid, he continuedl amounted -to' £16,399—this was out of the £151,836. The amount capitalised out of rents had :been £8662, and capitalisations out of interest amounted to £176, making a total of £8838. Farms upon which there had ibeen foreclosures totalled 13, and dwellings. also totalled 13. Transfers totalled 529, the value at the date of purchase being £585,011, and consideration on transfer £635,053., Those wlio'were out to criticise the price'at which purchases had been made should bear those figures in mind.

Mr. Poland: Does that include improvements?

Mr. Guthrie -wanted to know how members could say, in the face of these figures, that -prices had "Been too dear. The advances made in these cases was £523,470. The amount transferred from current account to instalment .mortgage account was £17,350, rebates earned for prompt payment on farms £23,413, and on dwellings £25,200. That showed a satisfactory position. Mr. IVilford: Do you deny my figures? Mr. Gtithrie: I am not answering your .figures, because you are quoting from unofficial figures from a newspaper.Mr. Wilford: You have just confirmed them. Mr. Guthrie said the remissions \ of rent totalled £10,811. These figures he ' was quoting, could not be juggled with. Mr. Wilford: You can't Seny my figures, anyway. \ Mr. Guthrie added that in the period from sApril-.to October the repayments of principal on current account were as follows:—April £8061; May £7633; June £11,250, July £12,561, August £16,896, September £11,201, October £10,194, making a total of £77,796. The total payments on dwellings and farms in this period was £295,912 on principal account, and £300,699 on interest account, so that even during the present stress money had come in very satisfactorily indeed. Those were the txue figures. Mr. Wilford: They prove my words.