CALLING A HALT

Gisborne Times, Volume LII, Issue 5462, 24 April 1920, Page 5

CALLING A HALT

ADVANCES TO SOLDIERS. DEPA RT.MENT SHORT Of MONEY. press Association Telegram. INGLEWOOD, April 2.5. Dealing with the subject of advances to soldiers for tlie purchase oi fat-ms 1 under the provisions of the Disc-barged i Soldiers’ Settlement Act. the Hon. D. ! If. Guthrie, -Minister in Charge- of Soldier Settlement, said at Inglewood last night that there had been such a heavy drain on the funds provided by Parliament that it had been found necessary to taper off the grants of further advances to assist soldiers in the purchase of farms and dwellings. Cabinet has decided that only exceptional urgent applications can be considered, and until Parliament has another opportunity of dealing with the question of making further provision under tlie Act, the amount remaining in the account has to be conserved tor advances for stock and improvements and for requirements connected witn the settlement of land now being prepared for selection. Ibis land comprises .settlement and Crown lands totalling 700.0D0 acres, and will provide atiout one thousand sections. Had Cabinet not taken this precautionary measure, added the Minister, the Department would have run out of funds before Parliament could meet, and it would not he in a position to make the necessary advances connected with the settlement of ballotted land. The Minister^ explained that decision was not to he regarded as a final departure from the policy that bad bec-n adopted in the past to assist men in tlie purchase of private lands and dwellings. Too much could not be done for the men who bad sacrificed their personal consideration .for the Empire’s good, and when dealing wtta the subject of advances to soldiers lasi session it was generally considered that i,. voting £12,51)0,000' a liberal provision was being made, but this lias not proved to be a sufficiently large amount.