SOLDIERS AND THE LAND

Evening Star, Issue 16845, 21 September 1918, Page 2

SOLDIERS AND THE LAND

A MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. The Hon. W, D. S. Mac Donald, Minister of Agriculture, received a deputation ;it Gisborne yesterday. The speakers urged tho establishment in the district of settlements for soldiers. Tho Minister, in reply, said he had taken out a, list of about 150 'fanners with property extending from Mangata to East Capo owning from 300 acres up to 4,000 acres. He was strongly of opinion that these men could hand over a portion of their land pro rata at a reasonable price, and that it was not too much to expect of them. Ho local landowners would taken into consideration the fact (and he was not one given to making threats) that there was a demand for land, and that it would bo well for ownei-s of large areas of land to hand over certain portions for this purpose. When there were large numbers of men anxious to get on the land some, provision had to bo made, and ho knew there wore largo areas held hy individuals to whom it would bo no difficulty to offer somo of Id to tho Government. If they did not, the Government could not bo blamed if something was done for the people. Referring to the Native land purchase operations, the Minister said that all the land purchased had been earmarked for soldiers’ settlement, and he did not think there would be any difficulty in consolidating. The Hon. Mr Ngata had been working at consolidation. Ho (tho speaker) did not think it would bb necessary to wait until other purchases wore completed to get some of this’ land opened. Tho original idea had been that the land should be held until tho return of men to Now Zealand. There were now over 20,000 men returned, and ho did not think settlement should he delayed much longer. There were not. however, men for roading and surveying. Apart from this, everything was' now so expensive. limy had over 260,000 acres in the Urewera Country, and some of it was really good land ; and when a few more purchases had beeen completed he thought they would be able to get, on with it. It was absolute nonsense for some to suggest that every returned sold’cr should go on the land. It would he all very well for people to sav , in tho event of disaster, that the Government gave too much for the land. Tho Government wore right in taking reasonable precautions.