SOLDIER SETTLEMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 9, 11 July 1922, Page 6

SOLDIER SETTLEMENTS

WHAT IS REQUIRED OF THE

GOVERNMENT.

(IT TIUGRAPH.—PUS) ASKWAWH.)

LEVIN, 10th July. . Sir Andrew Russell, president of the Dominion Returned Soldiers' Association, addressed a public gathering here at a soldiers' carnival, on the question of soldier settlement. He said that it wasl unfair /to blame the Government generally fdr-the position in which many returned men found themselves, because if the Government had not purchased land there would have been a howl from end to end of the Dominion. But if the same foresight and wisdom had been shown in regard to land settlement as was. shown in the case of trades, by setting up boards of experienced men to ensure that no soldier went on the land without a fair chance of success,-there would not now be such urgent need for action as the result of many men having been put on the land with altogether insufficient experience and training. They had not had time to learn to farm in a skilful way before the fall in produce prices came. .

Another mistake made was in not appointing,, at whatever cost, experienced supervisors to instruct these men. The K.S.A. suggested to the Government that the whole question was too serious to be put,off by expressions of pious goodwill. It was necessary that part of the rents should be written off where it could be shown that men were unable to pay . . Then there should be a revaluation for rental purposes, and men who were unable to make a success of farming at those reduced rentals should go" off the land, and make way for those Who could make ends meet.. Finally, they advocated a revaluation for capital purposeßj which was so urgent and very necessary. The prices of produce were not stabilised yet, but the K.S.A. urged that the revaluation, be based on the prices of produce for the past twelve years. They did not claim that as the best basis, but said to the Government: "Find a better one." ' The K.S.A. made a strong point of the soldier helping himself by co-opera-tion, improving his herds, and shouldering his obligations. Many at present were depressed because they could not see blue water ahead. The .Government should write off so much of their indebtedness and restore the hope that they had lost.