ASSISTING SETTLERS

Evening Star, Issue 18714, 16 August 1924, Page 4

ASSISTING SETTLERS

LEISURELY STATE METHODS. [Filoji Oun Parliament,uiy Erroirren,] WELLINGTON, August 15. Several months ago the settlers on the Hauraki Plains suffered through floods, and, according to Dir Poland (Ohincmuri), the Government within a few weeks decided to assist them to purchase fresh stock and ryegrass, by granting a loan of £25,000; but unfortunately, he said, this money never had been paid to tho settlers. Dir Massey; Have they applied? Dir Rhodes (Thames): Yes. Dir Poland went on to say that it took two months in making a preliminary valuation, and, the valuers having reported to tho Treasury, it handed £25,000 io tho State Advances Department. This office decided that tho reports were no good : Tt must get them from the Valuation Department's officers. So two months wore wasted. In the mennlime the settlers were losing more, money, because they could not get grass seed, and some owed so much for grazing feed (hat they could not get their stock hack. Tho Now Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company came to tho rescue with some money, but (concluded Dir Poland)-what was I lie use of the Government offering anything if it would not, pay it promptly? The Premier replied to (he complaints, stating that his attention had not been called to the delay. Apparently it was due to valuation, hut in his opinion it was not so much a question of valuation of the land as the character of the settler. If that was good, and ho was able to show that he had suffered losses, then tho money should be handed over. Dir Massey added that he had given ir structions to avoid delay, and he would see further into tho matter next morning. Unfortunately he was not aware ..f the delay, or it would not have occurred.