SOLDIER SETTLERS GRIEVANCES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 293, 30 August 1918, Page 8

SOLDIER SETTLERS GRIEVANCES

THE TE MIRO.SETTLEMENT. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Hamilton, August 29. A large and enthusiastic meeting was held last night,undor'the auspices of the Waikato Returned Soldiers' Association, with t'ho object of ventilating grievances of soldier settlers at Te Miro.

Speeches were given by Mr. Sampson (chairman of tho Te Miro .Soldiers' Settlers' Association), Captain Peake (of tho Cambridge Farmers' Union), and Mr. Hammond (president of tho Waikato Sub-Provincinl District Farmers' Union), nil- condemnatory of the Department. The speakers considered that the major portion of the property was quite unsuitable for soldier settlers for dairying under present conditions. There was : iio grass, and , the land was overrun by torn; there wero no roads, and some of the sections were without water, llnhbits were a menace. Soldiers had taken up the land, believing the Government's statement that it was suitable, and it was urged that the Government must keep faith. The following motions were carried: That a revaluation be made of sections held by settlers at Te Miro, aud that a committee, consisting of Captain Peako and Messrs. Hammond, Sampson, and a representative of the Government, be appointed to make a valuation.

■ That in view of tho existing conditions at Te Kliro, the Minister of Lands be requested to arrange for a revaluation of sections, that compensation be paid to dissatisfied settlers, and that they be offered a fair wage for daily work or be employed by contract for a period of two years in improving the sections. It will be necessary for buiWings and fencing ' to' be orectcd to make the sections suitable for dairying, and at the end of that period the settlers should bo again offered an opportunity of taking up the improved sections, and that an amount be set aside for the purchase of stock. ' That in the event of the foregoing request being refused, the Minister of Lands be requosted to compensate dissatisfied settlers for improvements, and, if desired, they: be granted the opportunity of choosing suitable sections, either from .Government blocks or by selection under the 1917 amendment to' the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act (viz., soldiers' own sections). That the Government be urged to set'up a Commission to go into matters affecting soldiers on the Te Miro Settlement. That the members for the district, Messrs. Young and Bollard, be requested to obtain a report regarding land purchased by the Government_ for settlement and the progress of the same, such report to he submitted to Parlia-' ment during the coming session.

'That the AVaikato Returned Soldiers' Association send a remit to the New. Zealand Association, advising it to formulate some sehemcTfor providing inteiding settlers with expert advice.