LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 6591, 21 January 1916, Page 6

LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

"I would l;ke to make it nerteclly 'karthat the returner} soldier.'- aie being well looked after regarding the quality of the land," remarked Mr W. H. Skinner, Commissioner of Crown Lgnds, when interviewed by a Poverty Bay Herald representative recently as to the provision that was being made in connection with the settlement of discharged soldiers on the land. The Commissioner remarked there was an idea prevailing th£t the land "earniarkec. 8' for the purpose between Napier and VV'airoa was of quality. This was not so. All the land sot aside in Hawke's Bay was of full average quality. Same of it was first class dairying country running up to £16 per acre and that couid not be called "poor." This block w?s net proclaimed, but was referred to by the Prime Minister recently, and was near TNkapau. About 4000 acres had been set apart already, and this would be capable of subdivision into holdings nveraging from 600 acres to 1000 acres and profitably improved and occupied. So far there were only two small blocks ear-marked for soldiers in this portion of the district, two sections at .Npatapa and another at Hangaroa. At the same time he would point out that the Minister had power to acquire freehold land on the same terms as land for settlement land, and he had already announced he wrs quite prepared to exercise this ruthority should the necessity arise.