LAND FOR SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3095, 28 May 1917, Page 6

LAND FOR SOLDIERS

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT ARE DOING

SPEECH BY SIR JAMES ALLEN

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Dunedin, May 26. At the Conference of Returned Soldiers Associations, Sir James Allen outlined the policy of the Government with regard to the settlement of returned soldiers in to oivil life. He said the area of private land purchased for discharged soldiers' settlement was G0.852 acres; the area of Crown land set aside by proclamation for discharged soldiers was 261,396 acres; and other blocks of private land were now under negotiation, and other areas of Crown land were being considered for proclamation. But the supply had been in excess of the demand. The'number of returned soldiers who had b,een settled so far was 357, and 236 had obtained 'Government advances to enable them to do fencing, purchase stock, and make other improvements. There had been practically no complaints,- either of suitable land not being open fov choice or of treatment by the Government in respect of advances. The present statutory limit of Government advaneo of ,£SOO had, been the subject of some comment, but obviously there must be some such limit to avoid excessive differentiation of-the best class of young New Zealandeus. A considerable proportion of the men prefer pastoral to dairy land, and ask for. land which they can improve and so increase the capital value of their holding. Plans for seriously wounded prisoners included the provision of' fruit farms and poultry farms near railways and towns, where men can occupy small areas of first-class land together or separately. Some such areas were already available to supply auv demand. Ooportnnity of tuition will be provided in such special areas.

The Government's Proposals. The Ijovei'nmeiit proposed to provide i'or tho opening of Crown lands for dis- , charged soldiers in districts sparsely settled, with really good roads, tho expense being iar less than that of acquiring ami reading private lands. Soldiers will thus have an opportunity of earning wages in road construction, while improving their own allotments. The idea that the Government should acquire and survey into subdivisions and road enough land to provide for the return of the Main Body was erroneous. Apart from the present scarcity of labour, if laud was really good and improved it must be settled soon after acquisition or it would speedily deteriorate. "Wo have already considerable areas of dairy land for which there is no.present demand, and which we have endeavoured to let for grazing at low rentals to prevent it going back. This applies specially to the acquisition of private estates, which for that reason we desire to acquire as the demand arises and riot to keep till tho end of tho war. As to Crown land, we desire to let expenditure take place when we have soldiers to do the work, instead of spending while labour is short. Of,ficers of the head office of the Lands Department and the Commission of Crown have been most diligent in the matter of returned soldiers and given every assistance to soldiers and the Government. As to pastoral runs in Canterbury and Otago, the Government decided that returned soldiers who might desire to take up runs should have at least equal opportunity- with the people left in the Dominion. Therefore they had directed that, run? which have been classified for subdivision, and which in the 'ordinary course would have been submitted for competition in February, 1918, shall not be so submitted until 191!). and not. then unless the war is over and the Maiii Body have returned. At present there is no provision enabling the (lovernment to make special advances in enable a soldier to acquire for himself private land and stock it. This is under consideration in amendments to be proposed this session."

Cost of Land to Soldiers. Proceeding, Sir James Allen said the association had asked Sir Francis Bell for particulars, as to amounts made by the Government for land to be kept open for settlement and the market value of the land before and after subdivision, and also the cost of land to returned soldiers. Sir Francis Bell replied that these questions could only be answered by pointing out that the Government purchased different classes of land at prices widely differing, according to the class, and that they bought at the market value. Large areas of Crown land were available for which nothing was paid. As to the cost of land to returned soldiers, the amount charged was 5 per cent, upon the cost_ price, plus the cost of roading and subdivision. The association, also asked for a return showing the basis upon which the cost to returned soldiers was fixed, and the principles followed in deciding the fitness or otherwise of a soldier applicant. The answer to the first question was the same as the preceding answer as to the cost of land, while the. reply to the second question was that the Land Boards of the various districts determine the fitness of an applicant. In cases where the question of fitness arises, land boards proceed on methods dictated by fairness and common sense, and not on the hard and fast lines prescribed by the head office. On the question of land settlement they could only proceed step by step. The best policy was to acquire land as it ( was wanted, and he thought the Government would provide land for any soldiers who wanted it and who were capable of going on it with a reasonable prospect of success.

Dealing With Soldiers' Businesses. The question of maintaining businesses was more difficult. The Government had asked the Efficiency Board to delect trustees throughout New Zealand, but the ( policy had not developed far. Ho thought the . businesses of men going away should be temporarily amalgamated with other businesses, or kept alive by trustees under control of the Efficiency Board. The question of providing new businesses for returned men was even more difficult. The Government were willing to spend roon>.-y as far as possible, and these questions must be considered from a practical point of view. Technical (schools, accountancy schools, and State farms were open to soldiers, and the Government had hoped before this to have established a communal fruit land area. He believed the Government would adopt a similar policy with regard to all land. If it was deemed advisable to secure land and hold it communally and let soldiers get nn to it and do the initial work, he believed the Government would be inclined to listen to any suggestions, but there did not seem to be any demand, for it at present, and it was no use starting until there was.