RETURNED SOLDIERS

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 74, 25 September 1916, Page 2

RETURNED SOLDIERS

_. VILLAGE SETTLEMENT SCHEME. (IT TRLEORAPH.—PRESS -SSOBMIION.)

CHRISTOHTJRCH, 23rd Sept.

At the ceremony of 'the laying of, the foundation-Stone of the Soldiers' Memorial Hall at Darfield this afternoon, Mr. H. A. Knight, chairman of the Hall Committee, said tHat the erection of the hall was only the beginning of a bigger scheme—that of placing the returned soldiers, on, the land as farmers. They knew the 'futility of putting men with iiisufiiclent capital, and "with little or no experience,, on the ordi-nary-sized farm. There were other ways to help returned soldiers, and he thought that with the help, of the 'Government and of the Minister, a village garden scheme could be realised. Under that schenie single men could live :-in hutments and have a-common diningroom, which would 'be conducive to economy. There -would be no necessity to 'specialise, especially in the matter of selecting -'seeds suitable for land in 'the district. . The plots of land for soldiercould be worked on the profit-sharing principle, if ■necessary. It would 'be to the benefit of the -farmers of the district to go into this scheme, and if it _ were taken up, there were in the vicinity, df 'Darfield -many farmers who would employ these returned soldiers at a fair wage. He suggested that the 'soldiers' allotments should 'be from five to ten acres, or whatever area wasi desirable, and they, would be able, -by. co-operating -with the farmers of,the district, to-have heavier work done 'by farmers' teams. The Hon. 'G.W. Russell, in the course, of his speech, said if Mr. Knight 'would lay before him a concrete proposal in regard to ,'this matter he would bring: it'before'the War Funds Committee, and 'give it -his most careful consideration. The 'War Funds Council held at present about £20,000, and he thought that if Mr. Knight placed his scheme before ■him as suggested he could .promise that the council would be prepared to "give 'a subsidy to. establish the . first, returned soldiers' -village settlement in Darfield.