SOLDIERS AND LAND

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 85, 7 October 1920, Page 8

SOLDIERS AND LAND

DECISIONS FOR THE FUTURE

HOUSES MUST BE ERECTED.

The Minister for Lands was asked in the House of Representatives yesterday ,by Mr. R. Masters (Stratford) if it was a fact that the Commissioners for Crown Lands had been instructed that they were hot to receive any further 'applications to purchase single farms fot soldiers. He also asked the Minister to state the position in regard to the purchase of houses, for soldiers.

T,he Hon. D. H. Guthrio replied that certain instructions had been sent out to the Commissioners, it had been decided that no further applications under- the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act would be accepted by the Department for the purchase of houses except in particular cases—in such cases, for instance,, as when soldiers with families were homeless. The future policy of the Government would be to encourage men to apply for advances to erect houses, and, by so doing, to help to relieve the present acute house shortage. The available funds would also.go much further. In regard to rural lands, the position was that except in the case where a man had paid his valuation fee, the Department would discontinue making advances for the purchase of single farms, but would consider applications from two or more soldiers eligible under the Act for the purchase of a property capable of subdivision. Where a soldier had sufficient money to provide the Advances to Settlers Department with the necessary margin of security, he would (be able to make application for the purchase of a single farm through that channel. The ■restriction, however, would .not apply to small poultry, bee. and fruit farms,,and to market-gardening) etc.

The Minister continued that no applications would be accepted by the Government for the discharge of existing mortgages except under most exceptional circumstances, e.g., if the mortgagee couid prove that he was being charged an exorbitant rate of interest. If he was paying the ordinary rate of interest he must carry on. The Minister proceeded that quite recently statements had been published regarding trafficking in soldiers' homes and land. But the Department knew that nothing of this sort was going on. There were a. few instances where the Department had had to aferee to soldiers selline out, cases in which the man found that owing to war injuries he was unable to carry on; but there, was no trafficking, and every precaution was being taken to prevent it. Advances on current account for the purpose of buying stock and imolements wa's going on as usual, said the Minister. Practically all recommendations forwarded to Wellington by the Commissioners had now been dealt with : and all "applications up to 31st September had been attended to.