VITAL PROBLEM

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 128, 30 May 1917, Page 3

VITAL PROBLEM

SETTLEMENT OF SOLDIERS

ON THE LAND

A SCHEME OUTLINED

(BY TELEGRAPH.) (FROM OUR srCCIAL RErORTER.)

MARTON, This Day

The vital problem of land settlement for soldiers was discussed for close on three hours by the Farmers' Union Conference at Marton yesterday.- various aspects of the matter being gone into very thoroughly. The principle of settling soldiers and doing the best . for them was affirmed by practically all the speakers, but there was a difference of opinion with regard to the details. The übject was introduced by a comprehensive series of resolutions which originated from the Wairarapa Executive of the Farmers' Union. These weve moved by Mr. A. P. Whatman, as follows :

(1) That the Government be urged to immediately provide improved land for returned soldiers. (2) That it is an injustice to expect all returned men to take unimproved and bush land after the hardship and sacrifice they have already made for the Empire. (3) That if suitable land is not offered for purchase voluntarily, this executive recommends that a War Regulation be gazetted providing as follows for the purpose of acquiring land on which to settle soldiers : (4) Private estates to be placed in several classes, the highest class to consist of such properties as are valued for taxation purposes .at a capital value of over & ; from each of such estates shall be taken sufficient to reduce them. The second class of over £ . If that -does not provide sufficient land, proceed in the same manner with the second class, and so on. Under these regulations, all properties shall be considered as a whole, unless the owner or bis bona fide manager resides on the portion held in their name. (5) That the balance of the land, after soldiers' requirements are. met, be made available for closer settlement by other suitable men. (6) That payment for the land taken be by Government debenture, the price paid to be a fair value in tTie vicinity of the value existing before the declaration of war.

Mr. Whatman stated that he had been informed by Sir Francis Bell .that the Government would no longer pay, £o or £7 or more per acre for land while there were areas available in the backblocks. It -would be criminal to send returned soldiers as a whole into the bush. He thought that all those men who, had fought should, be given a fair start. The question cropped up where were they going to get land. Well, the richest estates should he made to surrender some of the area held and the price paid in. war debentures extending over 25 years, at 4j- per cent., with an exemption from income tax, and they should all be prepared to make a sacrifice. The only New Zealanders who had made a sacrifice' since the outbreak of war were the boys who went away. When the troops now in camp departed, New Zealand would have sent away 79,000 men. So far 7800 had returned. Before the war I ended it was possible that 120,000 men would leave the Dominion. A great bulk of those who returned would want to go on the land, preferring the out.door life to the selling of currants over a counter, or any ether inside occupation. Big areas would have to be found, and if they were taken from the large estates there would be no great hardship. QUESTION OF. FINANCE. Mr. A. Robinson (Wanganui) said he thought it impossible for the Government to finance a scheme whereby all soldiers should be given improved land. He worked it out that if about 10 per cent, of the returned men went on the land it would cost about £50,000,000. Mr. J. Smith (Taihape) said that, in many cases, it would be better to send | returned men into the bush districts. I They would be able to improve their areas gradually, and they would not have a big mortgage is a millstone round their necks. Mr. A. Howie (Waverley) reminded the conference that <ifter the war many men would come back more virile and stronger than when they departed. The backblocks would suit them better than anything. Others—those, for instance, who had suffered from wounds or from illness—might prefer small sections suitable for poultry raising or an orchard. NOT FAIR TO ISOLATE MEN. Mr. J. Balsillie (Palmerston) suggested that it would be fatal to isolate men who had led a lively life together. He thought that small companies of, say, ten men should be put on one area to improve it; then after the improvements had been carried out each would receive his 200 acres.

.Mr. 11. A. Nivens (Tinui) stated that in his opinion everybody should be paid full market value for any property taken; otherwise he agreed with the'motions which tame from the Wairarapa, except in regard to the class of land to be settled. If a man got right back away from settlement he would have a much better chance of ultimate, success.

_ Mr. H. ■ Daysh (Martinborough! said there were thousands of acres of land in the Wairarapa capable of carrying a beast to {he acre. These could" be acquired, and should be acquired, in the Wairarapa. They had settled six soldiers on the land; that was all.

Mr. A. Stnart. (Marton) stated that without knowledge men could not make a success of hif»h-priced improved lands. Mr. G. L. Marshall (Marten) stated that he could not see why any relumed man should be given land at "under the market value. It was like making a present of a few hundred pounds, and if that was done because a man wanted to go .on the land v/hy should it not be done for all the others? He agreed that all. should have an opportunity of ■going on the land, but while he'had absolntß sympathy with Mr. Whatman, he could not vote for all the motions without lienriag more details. A. MATTER FOR STATESMEN. Mr. W. B. iUntheson (Eketalninaj stated that there were so many important points in the motion that it

would be impossible to come to any decision that afternoon. The question was one 'for statesmen—one which would hove to be thoroughly discussed. It might be preferable to submit the. whole 'matter to « committee, which could go into all the details. In justice (o the Government, they would have to admit that it was doing its best to deal with the problem. ■

Mr. G. H. Sykes (Masterton) stated that the motions involved the big principle of compulsion. If the voluntary system .failed to provide a sufficient area, for all the soldiers, then compulsion would have to be resorted to. If a man was capable of going into the backblocks he would advise him to do so, for it was there that the greatest success was assured.

Mr. R. Vautier (Whakaronga) stated that they would be doing soldiers a fay our if they kept them off high-priced land.

The discussion proceeded along rather desultory lines, it being evident that the conference did not think it could come to any decision on such big problems as v.-ere contained in the various clauses of the remit.

Mr. A. Robinson moved as an amendment : "That, in view of the mental and physical disabilities under which many of the returned soldiers suffer the Government be urged to give more favourable consideration to the settlement of such men on improved land than has hitherto been given."

'A second amendment moved by Mr. J. H. Perrett was that the scheme should be referred to a committee, and a third, moved by Mr. W. B. Matheson, that the scheme should be referred to the National Efficiency Board, with a request that the board should take evidence from Mr. Whatman or anyone else in order to lay before the Government the best possible scheme for encouraging returned soldiers to settle, on the land with a good prospect of success.' A COMMITTEE SET UP. Finally, the amendment having reference to a committee was ' agreed to. The committee is to consist of the vicepresident and Messrs.' Whatman, Matheson, Sykes, Stuart, Birch, and Perrett. It was instructed to report next day under the general heading.