REPAYMENTS WELL UP TO DATE.

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 69, 22 March 1920, Page 8

REPAYMENTS WELL UP TO DATE.

The latest return shows that about £14,000,000 has been expended by- way of advances to, and settling of, returned soldiers. In commenting on these figures to-day, the Minister of Lands (Hon. D. H. Guthrie) said that, although the first and second years might justly be considered the most difficult as far as the soldiers welt concerned, the financial position disclosed by the latest returns was absolutely satisfactory. "The amount involved in postponement of the payment of rentals, instalments of mort-\ gages, and in the remission of rent on that large expenditure," he said, "totals only about £40,000, showing that every confidence may be placed in the future success of the returned soldier settlements. It might not have been wondered at if the amount quoted had reached a much larger sum in the early stages of development. The same position is shown in regard to the advances made under the repatriation scheme; namely, that the moneys due are coining iri with : a much greater regularity than might | have been generally expected." Mr. Guthrie added, too, that the collection of money due to the Repatriation Department was being put on a better foot- j ing, the idea being to' appoint special j collectors in all the large -centres. i