SOLDIERS' SETTLEMENTS

Evening Star, Issue 17701, 30 June 1921, Page 7

SOLDIERS' SETTLEMENTS

* TEYIOT AND CLIFTON. DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER. “A SELFISH POLICY." A large deputation from the Otago District Council of the Returned Soldiers Abeociation waited on tho Hon. D. _H. Guthrie (Minister of Lands) this morning. Mr 0. E. Statham, M.P., introduced tho deputation. Tho principal speaker was Mr «• M'Crao, who first of all spoke of the Tovlot Settlement. There was, ho said, a groat deal of dissatisfaction there amongst those who had Been successful at the ballot in not being allowed to take immediate possession and to stock until .March, They felt that on injustice was being done them in that Mock at tho present tune was fairly reasonable in price, and they considered that they could stock cheaper at the present time than twelve months hence. Quite a number of tho succeastal ones at the ballot had since gone Into the question of the rents being and they considered that at tho presenu rental it would bo impossible to make anything like a living, with the result that some had already relinouished their sections, ft was suggested that the rental shon# bo reduced by one-third. Another matter that had been brought before t.ie Minister at different limes was that of roading and draining. Settlers had to pay for this before the work was done. There was also the questioning of tho postponement of payment of rent or the remission of rent, and a further matter of the dates for the payment of interest. It was desired that the dates should bo altered from January and July to March and September. , The Minister, in his reply, said he was pleased to have had an opportunity ot meeting tho deputation. It had been said by the speaker that some had been sadly disappointed because he had not kent his promise to visit the settlements. He resented that statement. He never made any promises unless it was possible for him to keep them. Ho never made a promise that he intended to visit every individual soldiers’ settlement of Central Otago. He said that he was coming here to look into the settlements, and was going to make a point of visiting as many as possible, but he could not spare the time to spend a day or two in connection with every settlement. He- was in the closest 'communication with the representatives of his departments in each district, and in order to bo in that position he had appointed extra officers to do what was impossible for a Minister to do. They brought him first-hand information. Since the Prime Minister had left he had had to fake on another department. Let him tell them while people were asking for. a week of forty-four hours ho would bo glad to get forty-four hours’ rest a week. He had given mors attention to the southern part of the soldiers’ settlements than to any other part of the Dominion, It had been his desire to get into the closest personal touch with them all, but he could not do impossibilities. It was with the greatest difficulty that he could squeeze in this week to get away from Wellington. With regard to Toviot, everything that it had been possible to do in tho interests of the soldiers had been done. It had been cut up in such a way that his department thought it would bo. possible for every man to mako a “ do ” of things. He might toll thorn that there was not a single soldiers’ settlement in New Zealand out of which the Government had made a profit. They wore now experiencing a slump and a fall in the price of products. They con let not in the interests of tho country go and malic a lingo loss on the stock they purchased, and therefore tho Government decided it would not ask tho soldiers to take over tho slock at tho original price paid for it, and the Government was hanging on to it for another year to see what could bo done. They had undertaken to keep going for another year, and by next sesaeon it was hoped that things would ho steadied down, and prices would bo somewhere near normal. It would have boon easy to have handed over the stock to tho soldiers and to have allowed them to take their chance; but that was not the policy of the _ department, which was working in the interests of the soldiers. Government was anxious not to put them in a falso position. Therefore it was decided—and it was costing a good deal of extra work —to hang to tho stock, and any profit made out of it would certainly go to the soldiers, and not to tho Government. Mr M'Crao said tho settlers should get the benefit of the low prices for stock, and should not have to wait until it went up in price. It seemed to thorn that it was a case of considering the Government and not ths soldiers.

Tho Minister : The Government r; considering tiho people of New Zealand and tho returned soldi ora. Mr M'Crao : Tiic Government is not losing anything on the stock. It has already had two clips of wool. Tho Minister : Any profit will go to tho reduction of the price of tho stock. Mr M'Crao : If the Government bought at an inflated price the soldier has to pay for that.

The Minister : It was bought by us as the agent for the soldiers, and we want them to buy at normal values. Mr M'Crao said that his council thought it a very selfish policy on tho part of tho Government, which was not considering the settlers. The Minister : That is nob so. We want fair play. Mr M'Crao : We cannot conceive the Government doing such a thing—holding on to the stock so a-s to get their money out of it.

The Minister said that apparently they looked at tho question from different points of view. As to tho rents being too high, ho had to repeat that the Government was making no profit out of any of the settlements. It had been said that tho rental should bo reduced by one-third. That would mean an absolute and very serious loss to the country. In regard to tho freehold land at Teviot he could not possibly seo where any reduction could bo made. With regard to tho runs attached to the freehold sections, they were Crown lands, and a reduction there would be considered. The reading and draining question had been brought up in Hawke’s Bay two years ago. It would be a very hard matter, indeed, to apportion to each settler his share of the raiding and draining. It would ho impossible to apportion tho cost, and tho benefit would not bo commensurate with tho cost. As to postponements, that meant a great deal to the returned soldiers. In the first place let

him toll them that any honest trier making an honest effort to keep on under difficulties would find the Government right behind him. The Government would postpone hia Interest for a reasonable time, aav six months, twelve months, eighteen months, or two years, .and would give him every possible chance during that time to pull up. He would not bo charged interest on his postponed rent, and he would not lose his rebate if the postponed rent was paid up to the postponed period. They allow Inin to oapitallsOj kRy would advise tho settler to do as little capitalisation as pcasibk In any care of urgent necessity they would bo prepared to remit Die rent. Thoy wanted to help the man who was in' difficulties. Postponement was the fafreet thing, so long as tho interest did not keep heaping up. Every case must bo treated on its merits. As to tho alteration of tho dates of payment. It was worthy of consideration on behalf of tho no.dloTS, and ho would go into t thoroughly, and If it was at nil ‘possible tho department would bo glad to give effect to (he deputation's wish. ... Mr A. 0. Lain? referred to the Clifton Settlement. Twenty-threo sections, ho raid, wore onened there four years ago. It had bean thoremrhly tried and found wonting The soldiers had not taken A _np. At present there wero only seven soldier® on Urn settlement, cod they naked for a remission of two to three years rout and for the boldines i\bo increased. Tim members of tho Land Hoard had been over tho ground with the cottera, and had' a arced tint it cost ths soldiers too much to farm their holdings Tho rente, worn considered too high. In fact, the land round about Clifton was considered too dear A revaluation was asked for a little while ago, and tho main reason given in retily was that the present was not a .good time for that being done owtog to the slump period. Practically 3.0 M acres of land'had been ! dlo for about four years, which meant depreciation, of rates and (axes and of ■production on Lie carntal value, As to Mount Pisa, settlers_ there cnmolninfd of the rabbit pest-, and it was suggested that tho Government shou.d mv© n demonstration ns to how the rabbits ceil’d bo got rid of. Tho Minister said that there was a demonstration going on at the present time, and it was absolutely and systematically eliminating the rabbit. He had had a report as to its success. and he would he glad to have a demonstration (riven to the settlers round about, Mr T.aing: There is also trouble over s wo-g tbn a.r. The Minister! Noxious weeds as well ns rabbits are receiving attention. Mr Lain>z next referred to Benmore, end the Minister said that Air Sadd (Commissioner of Crown Rands) had a-yvpiononcd the Board of Governors with a view to trying, if possible, to get a reduction in the rent for'those when who said that they really could not pay the rent they agreed upon. . , . . 'Mr Laincr said that some wanted to increase their holdings. Would the Land Board allow one man to relinquish his holding and let another one take it up: The Minister: It- will he brought before the Land Board at tho next meeting. Air Lning said that the men wore very badlv off for feed for their stock. Feed had "been railed free of charge in other similar cases. The AI in is tor said ho would be pleased to give the matter Ilia most sympathetic consideration. With regard to CHlton, he said that mistakes may have been made in cutting up the blocks, and his own opinion was that tho sections were too small He said so at the time, in ere was no difficulty about that. II experience showed them that sections had been cut up too small and a mistake had been made,' the department increased the size of the sections. If it had been done earlier Clifton might have been in a difl-ereiio position than it was to-day. L a. mistake had been made there it would not ho made with the adjoining property. At the time he did not think that too high a price was given for Clifton. It was land that did not want to bo played with by an inexperienced man. It required experience* practical knowledge, and determination to mako a “do” of it. As to A fount Pisa, it would have been useless not to have got the freehold and the control of the water rights and everything else. It was hoped that it would prove a settlement which would be satisfactory, but 't would not be wise to open it up immediately, because of it being overrun with rabbits. It would have to bo made rabbit-proof. , , A member of tho denutotiOTi sold tiuit a rabbit-proof fence would be useless there. It was a snow-driven country. The snow would bank up to the height of tho fence, anti nil the rabbits would then bavo to do, would be to climb up and walk over. Tli* Minister said that ho would be glad to receive any suggestion. The whole of the matters brought before him would receive every consideration. Ho was pleased to have mot them. The deputation then thanked too Minister and retired.