FORCED OFF.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 15 October 1929, Page 4

FORCED OFF.

RETURNED SOLDIER. AND HIS FARM.

(By Telegraph—Special to the star.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 15.

The treatment of returned soldiers who get into difficulties with their payments to tiie Lands Department was the subject of a brief discussion in the House of Representatives to-night, when the Lands Committee reported on the petition of a returned soldier, Norman 'Randall McMurtay of Marlborough, who prayed for relief from liabilities in respect of lands at Kikawa settlement taken up by him under the Disabled Soldiers Settlement Act. The committee recommended the petition to the Government for favourable consideration. Mr E. F. Ilealv, member for Wairau, who had presented the petition, explained that this was another case of a soldier who took up land too highly valued and failed to make a success. He bought at £2500 with stock, etc., at £SOO, and , there iwas an advance of £3050 from the Government. The petitioner could ' not pay his way and was obliged to walk off when the land to sold for £1436 and he was indebted to the Government for the difference between that sum and the Government’s advances. The whole reason for the failure was the high price of the land, and its real value was shown by the fact that the adjoining country iwas being used for tree planting. Several members expressed svmpathy with McMurtry, Mr H. G.' R. Mason (Auckland Suburbs) taking a critical line that the Lands Department tormented soldiers who failed, by following them up in regard to their debts, which put them in a hopeless position. The Hon. T. v M. Wilford, actingleader of the House, remarked that the discussion would have been of great interest to the Minister of Lands, but it was hardly fair to suggest of the‘present or former Government that they tormented soldiers who failed on their sections. Returned soldiers of New Zealand had been treated better than anywhere else in the world. It was difficult to sit still under such imputations, but he was glad to recognise that other members’ speeches had been helpful and he could assure them that the Government would not be unmindful of any favourable recommendation, and if it could be carried out, it would be done.