SOLDIERS IN CANADA.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 433, 16 February 1909, Page 5

SOLDIERS IN CANADA.

" ; tor; land grants, v ■;: OFFER TO FORM,A'RESERVE; ; ;; (nT : Tkr.t;GUArß—riiEss ASsbcUTios—copiEiilHT.) .'■'.■..■ ..r.-;'V,'(Rec. February 15,' 10.15' p.m.) '. [ : •',:' '. V; , '';;/;■'■,'. : . ; ." :■ ■'.; Ottawa, February 15.; .'-.'■:South'African veterans'in■.Canada> v ;to ttie number of' 3150, haye^petitioned for grants; of .820 aores .apiece," undertaking? in ■ return to form a..-.Canadian reserve", end'..Berye .ten years. Sir F. .W. • Bordeji,. Minister. for Defence, is impressed with .the idea.-.'-; • ,': .' ;

THE SCHEME EXPLAINED

I"' A good deal ol piiblic interest .has been roused by.the- faot: that; about ,4000 soldiers , of the British Army who' htive' come. , to Canada since 'the;,war in South..-Africa are petitioning the .Dominion Goverhmeut '■■- for .. tnoir''-inclusion among those Cunadians who',.served , in the war, and'are, therefore, entitled under the>Act oi Inst session to.a. free'grant, of 320 acres' of land. The newcomers, claim, show of.reason, that ..when .they -wont to 'fight iigaiiist the Boers they did so not only for Great' Britain, but for the. British Empire,- It is argued. that, this being so, ths Dominion Government ought hot .to''exclude": them ; froni: behefits r :meant to •be conferred upon. all, who',, went /to the.'war from,Canada.'/A.delegation, representing' these ex-soldier, petitioners claims fully before the Minister.for the.lriteiior/ -They , said they-were willing- to go■ to the. land and. work it ; under .the.Homestead. Provisions, Act. Canadian veterans of the South African War, on the other hand, can. sell .their laud. .If tho-new. arrivals are-willing to-carry out-the law as it .applies to.those homesteads (says the "Standard of Empire") there should be no objection to giving'.the,iand,f as they aitiyoung■ ai\d;hnrdy men, who would;.malce excellent settlers/.:lt is alsoisuggested.that'.they'iwbuld-.'form: a , trained army reserve force of ■■ 4000 men, available at a : time oi need. The Government have promised to consider-their petition, and it "is hoped-'that decision 'may 1 'bs-'atri;yQd;'iiti*ln tho. : lif;ht of Canada's general policy; in the matter, of developing;lands; it;would- seem to 'be •illogical to i refuse the grant; to ■'a number, of Britishers: of .tried patriotism and of camnaighirig experience inan.Qversea- State 'of the , Empir"). •'. 3?urther,. th 6 idea. of. enrqlliuß these ■4000'aotive.'service, men.as a defence reserve jiommehda'itself to many'as a wholly excellent 'scheme for the : makmj--'.of permanently good Canadian citizens '■; ',-/■'■.-'- : -' ; Ai"} '.';.': '.'■'■' : ■':;■