AUSTRALIAN PLANS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 82, 4 October 1944, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN PLANS

SOLDIER SETTLEMENT

Ke^ 9,?' m; CANBERRA, October 3 The_Cpmmonwealth Government has °.V?, r.? d 1° a >ssume the major responsibility for soldier settlement for Tasmania, South Australia, and Western :Australia. The remaining three States, .New South Wales, Victoria. and 'Queensland, wish to act .as principals :m the. scheme and will be permitted tc do so, but will be' liable for the •capital cost and subsequent losses ; This, compromise proposal which is :made necessary by the defeat of the :reecnt Commonwealth wider powers :referendum, was presented today to a -conference of State Premiers by the .Prime Minister, Mr. Curtin.

About 50.000 Australian servicemen .have indicated their desire to be placed •on the land after the war. Settlement will be based on the following - five principles: Land settlement will be undertaken only where economic prospects are reasonably sound. Service-1 •:men will not.be assisted to become rsettlers unless qualified and experienced. Settlers will be allotted isufficient land to earn a reasonable income. Lack of capital will not pre•vent servicemen from settlement. Ade'Qiiate guidance and technical advice 'will be made available to soldier -■settlers through agricultural and other

: services. - Personnel '.in camp at Panakura have -been notified by a special order that Major-General Barrowclough is to ■ visit Lieutenant-General Freyberg for the,-purpose'of'discussing the disposal "of Third Division officers, warrant officers 'and ■ other non-commissioned