SOLDIERS ON THE LAND.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19259, 14 March 1928, Page 8

SOLDIERS ON THE LAND.

PROBLEM NOW SOLVED. FIVE MILLIONS WRITTEN OFF. At the official opening of tho now Lees Valley-Ashley bridge, giving acI c'pss to the.soldier settlement, tho Minister for Lands, the Hon. Mr McLeod, who was au onlooker, was asked to speak and made an interesting statement regarding the Government's finances and its policy concerning soldiers' settlements. ■ ~,,., "I am here as an onlooker," S3id Mr McLeod, "but I feel that it is a duty to meet tho back-country settlers as often as possible. I desire to refer to tho great question of soldier settlement, and to say, to-day, that I hnve been to every settlement that has more than three or four settlers, in the Dominion. Last year I was unable to visit Lees Valley as I had intended But to-day, in addition to seeing tho settlers, I am able to see how my mortgages are getting on. (Laughter.) "I want to say, on behalf of the Government, that the problem of soldier settlement is nearly cleared up. I feel that any problem, in regard to soldiers' settlements, if we are given any reasonable stability in prices, will bo a thing of the past. I want to extend to all parts of the House, whether in opposition or not, my own, and tho Government's appreciation of the trouble taken to straighten out soldier settlement. I am in the position to-day to announce for the first timo that the Government have written off £5,000,000 of debts under the Soldiers' Settlement Act, in capital and interest. Three and a half millions of this was capital and the rest interest, all of which was owing to the Consolidated Fund. Thirteen million pounds, out of accumulated surpluses from the Consolidated Fund were originally available for soldier settlement, so the money written off has not been borrowed money. The Government has often been criticised for the muddle made of settlement of soldiers, but it is not difficult to bo wise after tho event. T have always said, since my entrance into Parliament, some nine years ago, that, if we could settle soldiers on the land and keep them out of the cities and on the land, at a cost of four or five millions, the money would be well spent. There is no doubt that some of the areas have been cut up too Bmall. Millions of pounds have been written off, not because the land was too dear, but because some of the areas were not big enough to give anyone a decent living. There is no doubt that further advances would be a good thing for some pf the settlers, but we must keep the finances of the country sound. You now have a Government which is endeavouring to keep its borrowing within reasonable limits. ■ In my travels through the country, I have often heard it said that the stock and station firms are blood-suckers and robbors, but my Department has often cause to thank them for the responsibility they have undertaken in financing settlers. The outlook to-day is sound, and given cate in administration and economy, the future of the country is assured."