ON THE LAND.

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 2889, 8 March 1916, Page 4

ON THE LAND.

OUR SOLDIERS' FUTURE

SIR RIDER HAGGARD'S MISSION.

NEW ZEALAND TO BE VISITED

London, January 14. Sir Rider Haggard is to start »n three weeks' time on a visit to South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada to enquire into the possibilities of employing ex-service men after the war, and ho-will investigate tlie problem of lund settlement'generally; Ho 'is making the tour on behalf of tho Royal Colonial Institute. "It is obvious," he said, "that a great number of such men will bo unable from one cause or another, among which .may he included tho result of wounds or sickness, to continue living in our climate and wiii wish to emigrate. This has happened after every war :ji which wti have been engaged in past years, and, independent of other considerations, it is a state of lafl'aiir.s which may be expected to arise oW;i:ng .to trade depression 'and disorganisation. A ec-rtai.n number of .n L _i'will go, and it should, therefore, be our euro to keep them in the Empire, and not allow them to drift to the United States or tho Aregutine. You know that the grca>t Overseas liave acted nouly towards us ill this life and death struggle. Thousands of their people have been killed or disabled, uiid tlie least we can do is to replace them if possible. "Y,ou 'ask me as to land settlement at Home. As you may know, I have always ibccn earnestly in favour of it under proper condition,. A committoo is now iroportnig on the subject, and I trust will be -able lo introduce a siutn'sfactory ,i.nd successful scheme. TJut Homo land settlement cannot absorb all the ex-service men wlio wall h-fvo become niiß'tited, by their experience to return to- the desk or couneven if places for them can be found. lb would be too costly, fotone thing. The tic of a common blood is tilie best bond of Empire, and if our placo in the world is to be maintained we must not suffer the number of 'Anglo-Saxons to decrease; indeed, it elhould .tie increased. Yonder overseas there is room for tens of millions. There were cannot send, but even a few are not to be despised." Sir Rider Haggard added that-he was acting in. a purely honorary capacity v "I am .giving my time, labour, and sirch experience in these'matters as I possess, and it is not small, as an offering in what I' conceive to be an endeavour of Imperial importance. I take it as part of my war work. Generality, niy idea is that henceforth every possible British-born man, woman.' and child dliould bo spared to the Empire to build it up, to strengthen it and enable it in the future to resist as an absolutely united body all attacks that may be made -upon us.'" CANADA'S EXCELLENT PLAN. Ottawa, March 7. In order to Increase the supply of fat-in ■labour, the Government of'On- : tario lias agreed that 15,000 students of tlie high schools and the colleges shall work at -farms during May aiid October without, forfeiting their slaI tns as ski dents.