SOLDIER SETTLERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 116, 17 May 1924, Page 13

SOLDIER SETTLERS.

UNSATISFACTORY REVALUATIONS. Dissatisfaction with the revaluations made by the Government in connection with returned soldiers' settlements was expressed by some members of the Waitemata County Council to-day. Mr. Laing stated that the Government had not wiped out the arrears of rent, but had put them back for ranging to ten years, and had not reasonably reduced the valuations. In one case in which he was interested, he knew this to be the position, and eventually the result would be that the man would give up and the place would be sold to some civilian at greatly reduced value. If the reduction were made now the soldier settler would be able to make a success of it. There were, however, varying views on the subject, one or two members remarking that some of the men placed on the land would not make a success in any circumstances, while others who had the knowledge and a fair chance had been lying back waiting for reductions. Yet another member felt that it would pay the Government now to boldly cut their losses and put every soldier settler on a footing which would enable him to have a fair chance. Captain Theet said that the subject was to .come before a conference of county councils later, and the discussion was not pursued.