SOLDIER SETTLERS

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18184, 22 September 1924, Page 8

SOLDIER SETTLERS

REVALUATION WORK. MINISTER'S REPLY TO R.S.A. to " "HI sis*#.")

'W LLLIXbTOX, September 21 A detailed reply by the Lands (Hon. A. D. McLeod> to resolatious passed by the Dominion Council of the X.Z.R.S.A. was laid before to, New Zealand Executive on Saturday. The Minister stated that concession in respect of the payment of rent ®r interest were made in casta whe*e rents on leases and, instalments on mortgages wore paid cither wholly or in part previous to the Board's later decision on the point. The' Canned had asked lor preference to returned men, whether already settled on the land or not, aa against civilians in the letting of gracing rights Over, or the leasing of, Crown lands acquired iv soldier settlement, and not taken up or land which had been taken \m bo"' later reverted to the Crown. The Miaister intimated his intention of giving instructions to the various Connnisgjoa! ers of Crown Lands iu the direction desired, provided that returned mea wtie available, and that tho Crown's inter, ests were not in any way detrisaatally affected. Bearing iu mindtiietgo demand for pastoral runs still. raW tho K.P.A. had urged the to subdivide all pastoral leases as tW fell due, if doelared suitable for mV division, and to offer these to discharged soldiers. This, said tie Minister, already had received the attention of tho Department, and for all practical purposes had been adopted by it as a matter of policy. Wherever leases of large runs were falling in, and the runs wero regarded as suitable for subdivision, they wero being cut up and offered. Preference to discharged men, he understood, was always shown by Land Boards, provided that the applicants wero considered suitable, and had any prospcet of being able successfully to carry on the lease.

Revaluing Improvements. Tho practice in offering Crown lands was to advertise that special preference would bo given at tho ballot to landloss applicants with children dependent upon them, who within two .years preceding tho ballot had applied for land unsuccessfully on at least two occasions, and who had 6erve'd beyond New Zealand with the Expeditionary Force. Crown lands weie now mostly open to general application, subject to the conditions mentioned, and Land Boards had instructions in cases of thoro being no discharged soldier applicants to allot the section to the most eligible civilian rather than allow the land to be idle.

On tho subject of the R.S.A. Council's plea that improvements made by returned men should bo taken into account by the Revaluation Board,, tho Minister pointed out that tho Act provided for a valuation of tho improvements, and also of tho land exclusive of improvements. Tho Association also had asked for an assurance from tho Goyenunan*. that the decisions of the Dominion Bevaluation Board would not bo less lijK cral than tlioso. recommended by the District Boards, and that where it was considered that injustice had bcea done and fresh evidence could be produced tho Dominion Board Bhould be directed to mako a special inspection of the property affected. To this the Minister replied that tho Dominica Board dealt with every easo upon its merits, and considered all the available evidence as well as the reports of tho District Committee. In cases wh6W the Dominion Board could not reconcile values as assessed by District Committees, further reports and valuations were asked for, and the District Committee was asked to review them. Larger reductions than those iQeomraended by District Committees h*d been made where the circumstances warranted this.

Speeding Up Work. The Dominion Board could not 1)8 directed as to tho manner in wbieii it would conduct its business, but tee Eoard at all times was prepared to consider any * additional evidease brought before it, or to reopen aJSy case it' fresh evidence tras submitted. The District Committees made mondations for postponements short periods only, but the Board Iff no hesitation in granting pwtpfg* ments for longer periods than those jr commended. Also, it had endeavor to make uniform throughout the Dominion to meet t» varving conditions of the different Btt" tiers. Invariably, postponement vm more generous than those reeotam«MW bv the Committees. _ * Everything possible was being liow to expedite the work of the DomifiH® Revaluation Board, of the urgency ftwhich tho Government was fully a*«c« The Board was sitting and to date had issued 3000 detcrmia*tions. Frequently the Board wortW ten hours a day and six days a weCK. Loans to settlers on small for minor improvements w«re bong considered, and, at the special roqBW of the Association, for the crcc k°?° glasshouses. These would be to men of practical experience ia raising and of crops.