RETURNED SOLDIERS ON LAND

Evening Star, Issue 18045, 12 August 1922, Page 8

RETURNED SOLDIERS ON LAND

MINISTER REPLIES TO REMIT. Through the general secretary of the Now Zealand R.S.A., the local secretary has received Ministerial replies to various remits as under (remit first stated, reply following):— “ That 25 pci- cent, be the maximum deduction made by tho Government from the monthly milk cheques of soldier settlers engaged exclusively in dairy faming, unless in exceptional circumstances.’—l have to advise that the matter is one that must be decided by the board of the district, which must take into consideration the liabilities and tho fitness of flic men engaged in dairy farming. Instructions already issued are to the effect that no order shall exceed 50 per cent, without special approval. “That the advance to returned soldiers for improvments on ti-treo, gorso, and blackberry class • of laud be increased from £750 to £I,OOO, as it is considered that this class of land requires as much expenditure to break in and improvo_ as does bush land.”—! have to advise that the regulations already provide for a maximum of £250 being advanced on table mortgage, this amount being first applied to discharge the current account loan of £750. The additional advance is on a security not exceeding 75 per cent, of the value of the improvements effected—whichever is tho greater. “ Concerning rating on land set tied by soldier settlers, that this council recommends that suck settlers should not be asked to pay rates on higher values than adjoining owners on similar lands,”—Tho question of rates paid by soldier settlers is a matter that must bn governed by the values as fixed by the Valuation Department. “ That this council urges the Government to undertake at once, so far as it is able, tho development of all Crow n lands capable of irrigation.”—The development of all such lands is one that is limited by finance, and until such times as the financial position improves I am afraid very little can be done.