LANDS INQUIRY BOARDS.

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 24, 28 July 1922, Page 7

LANDS INQUIRY BOARDS.

Members of the House of Represienta-t-ives continue to pay-great attention to questions bearing, upon soldier land settlement. Yesterday the Leader of the Opposition,(Mr. Wilford) said that he did. not approve of the proposal to set up the boards, and if the' boards were to be set up, would the Minister allow the returned soldiers' associations through-, out New Zealand to nbniinate a repre-' i sentativeto each board? . ■ | The Hon. ,D. H. Guthrie, Minister of Lands, said;that'he did nbt see the necessity at all for extending representation to any particular section 6f the community, and he did not intend to do" it. He was hot. giving' special representa : tion'.to vendors of land, or purchasers of freeholds, fir leaseholders. He Was going to .make a selection of the very best I men that could be found, on the basis of their ability to^deal with the problem. These boards would report to the land board of the distriot, and would sit with the land board, which would submit the recommendations tp the advisory board in | Wellington trt be sent to the Minister. He did not know of any fairer method of dealing with the question. A member asked if R.S.A. representatives would be allowed to appear before the boards. ' The Minister said that it was-not intended that there should he any Star Chamber methods about the inquiry. In addition to visiting the various settlements, -he intended that, the boards should hear representations from persons who had an interest in the matter.. Mr. Masters :"*"Ts it intended to appoint any of the men who valued the land for the original purchase?" , The Minister said that he intended to exclude members of the land boards and land purchase boards. I Mr.; Forbes: "And all members of | Parliament?"., The Minister: "Yes, right a-\vay r " !