PENSIONED SOLDIERS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 120, 16 November 1929, Page 11

PENSIONED SOLDIERS

CHANCES ON THE LAND

COMMISSIONER'S OPLNION

(Special to ,"Th,e Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND, This iky,

Land settlement offers a solution of the difficulty in only a few of the cases of distress among ex-service men which it is the'purpose of the Lieturned Soldiers' Eehabilitation Commission to relieve by evolving., some broad scheme. The chairman (Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M.) expressed- .the. view after hearing evidence, of the Crown Lands Commissioner, which he regarded as highly important. '. • : "The Government has done a lot," said Mr. Barton, commenting on this evidence. It was all very well to criticise, but much of tho criticism of discharged soldier settlement was only being wise after the event. Sir John Luke, a member of the Commission, remarked that New Zealand, through its people and its Government, had done well. -i- .. . Mr. O..3STi Campbell, Crown Lands Commissioner for North Auckland, extending from North Cape to Mercer, who is.himself ; a.returncd soldier, sum-med-up his .views on tho question as follows:—1-. „- ... .-.- -.", :. , . ' ■ "The responsibility and hard work necessary.-• for -. land ownership is top much for .the war-worn orr disabled soldier. Tho returned soldier whose desire was to.settle on land arid who-pos-sessed the liecessary strength and ability has already been repatriated under the ..discharged „ soldiers' settlement scheme. The New Zealander is temperamentally uhsuitcil for any form of community settloment.-. '</ ■ GENEROUS ASSISTANCE. "I have, naturally been in close touch with, tho settlement of returned sold-iers-on the land," said Miv Campbell. "In my district.'. 5000 returned soldiers have been financed -into properties, either houses or §arms, and no returned soldier, whether financial or otherwise, has been refused assistance in securing land, provided the Department could see some little, prospect of success for him. Advances up to 100 per cent, of value had been made-to purchase.these properties, and. in the ease b£ farms, advances for development and stocking purposes have' likewise been made, oven up to 100 p(Sr cent; of tho value of improvements or stock where it was considered necessary in the interests of the soldier to do so. The expenditure on this work in this district has exceeded £5,000,000.:. .It will thus be seen that all the returned men have already had ample opportunity of settling on the land. - ■ . - "No manwho was a trier and : i all suitable was knowingly deprived of his farm," said Mr. Campbell. "The Government carried, the responsibility of finaiico' to-day. They had a fine body of soldier settlers who. were in most cases well established and in practically every instance were on a sound financial basis, with.every prospect of success. "Farming is becoming more and more a,science,-requiring ability and energy, and unless- a settler possesses those qualities he is doomed to failure," said Mr. Campbell.- "It is not a..weak man's occupation, and I can sco little prospect of successfully settling the pensioned soldier on the land. He has to enter into open competition with his fit and able neighbour, who probably owns the freehold of his land, and I am not in any way discrediting the pensioned soldier when I say that his chances of success would not be overbright. We ha.vo nevertheless numerous pensioned soldiers among our successful settlers. • These men, however, have other..qualifications or attributes which in some way or other help them to overcome their war disabilities. Soldier partnerships 'in 95 per cent, of cases have proved an utter failure, and I am inclined to the opinion that the New Zealand- soldier is not-temperamentally fitted for any scheme of community farming. All the necessary' legislation to meet practically any scheme of soldier settlement is'on tho Statute Book to-day." ■ ■-.■.-.