SOLDIERS’ LAND

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 29 April 1925, Page 5

SOLDIERS’ LAND

REVALUATIONS COMPLETE. TWO PROBLEMS LEFT. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph.—Special to Star.) WELLINGTON, April 28. Tiie Minister lor Lands, the Hon. A. D. McLeod, announces that the process of revaluation of soldiers’ lands, which commenced nearly two years ago, is al-most.-complete, 9si per cent, ot the applications having been determined bj the centra’ board, following on reports received from tne local committees. W'hen the revaluation scheme was approved by .Parliament, the Prime Minister made a rough estimate of the total writing down which would probably he required, placing it at two mil ions sterling. The actual result is £1,572,583 in the capital value of the leaseholds reduced, and £653,610 in respect of purchased lands. Commenting on. the figures, the Hon. Mr McLeod stated to your correspondent that the board had not framed its revaluation policy on lines which aimed at keeping within the estimates. It dealt with each application on its merits, and had practically completed its work. TWO REMAINING POINTS. “There are two important factors which have vet to be dealt with,” added Mr-McLeod. “These are the unsuitable men who cannot make their farms pay, and those who have too little land for profitable working. These are factors which no revaluation system can finalise, but they must be dealt with. The unsuitable man will, in most cases, solve the problem for himself. The Revaluation Board could only make a valuation on the conditions as it found them, and it could not take into account the failure of the farmer. The small holdings which are handicapping some of the soldier settlers are mainly pastoral, but there are also dairying areas. A great many of our soldier farmers cannot, under most careful handling, carry more than 18 to 20 cows on their farms, though tlie opinion among practical dairy farmers is that at least 25 to 30 cows are'.required to enable the farmer to make a proper living. Thus there is a need for increasing the size of some farms, and the Department will take every favourable opportunity of doing so, with the idea' of giving the settlers a better chance of making a living.