REPAID WITH NOTABLE PROMPTITUDE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 252, 19 July 1920, Page 4

REPAID WITH NOTABLE PROMPTITUDE

GOVERNMENT ADVANCES TO SOLDIERS.. . Br Tol^sraph—Preis Association. Christchurch, July 17. "I am not boasting of what New Zealand has done for its men, but I want to boast about the way in which the men of New Zealand nro standing by their contracts with the Government of tho Dominion," said Sir Francis Bell at a. banquet given to the Amberley returned soldiers.

After giving some details of the repatriation work accomplished to date, Sir Francis Bell said that over 95 per cent, of the men with obligations io the Government were meeting them to the (lay, and the monthly, collections of, tho repatriation authorities were comiug in at tho.rate of .£420,000 per ann»ni.. li'iva per cent, only wero not paying their obligations to tho day. Many of the defaults mado were due to death, while for most of tho others there was at least a reasonable explanation. In regard to land advances, payments wero being mado with astonishing regularity. While ho was Acting-Minister cf Lands, it had been the most gratifying and pleasant experience of liis lifo to eee the way in which tho men wero meeting their obligations. Very few indeed had claimed extension of time or remission as ordinary settlers wero 6ometimes prone to do.