LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXII, Issue LXXII, 29 May 1917, Page 5

LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT ARE

DOING

BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION,

DUNEDIN, May 26. At the Conference of Returned Soldiers' Associations, Sir James Allen outlined the policy of the Government with regard to the settlement of returned soldiers into civil life. He said the area of private land purchased for discharged soldiers' settlement was 60,852 acres; the area of Crown land set aside by proclamation for discharged soldiers was 264.396 acres; and other blocks of private land were now under negotiation, and other ■areas of Crown land were being considered for proclamation. But the : supply had been in excess of the demand. The number of returned soldiers who had been settled so far was 357, and 236 had obtained Government advances to enable them to do fencing, purchase stock, and make other improvements. There had been practically no complaints, either of suitable land not being open for choice or of treatment by the Government in respect of advances. The present statutory limit of Government advance of £500 had been the subject of some comment, but obviously there must be some such limit to avoid excessive differentiation of the best class of young New Zealanders. A considerable pr£ portion of the men prefer pastoral to dairy land, and ask for land which j they can improve and so increase the capital value of their holding. Plans for seriously wounded prisoners included the provision of fruit farms and poultry farms near railways and towns, where men can occupy small areas of nrst-class land together or separately. Some such areas were already available to supply any demand. Opportunity of tuition will be provided in such special areas. • COST OF LAND TO SOLDIERS. As to the amounts paid by the Government for land to be kept open for settlement and the market value of the land before and after subdivision, and also the cost of land to returned soldiers, these questions could only be answered by pointing out that the Government purchased different classes of land at prices widely differing, according to the class, and that they bought at the market value. Large areas of Crown land were available for which nothing was paid. As to the cost of land to returned soldiers, the amount charged was 5 per cent upon the cost price, plus the cost of roading and subdivision. As to the basis upon which the cost to returned soldiers was fixed, and the principles followed in deciding the fitness or otherwise of a soldier applicant, the answer to the first question was the same as the preceding answer as to the cost of land, while the reply to the second question was that the Land Boards of the various districts determine the fitness of an applicant. In cases where the question of fitness arises, land boards proceed on methods dictated by fairness and common sense, and not on the hard and fast lines prescribed by the head office. On the question of land settlement they could only proceed step by step. The best policy was to acquire land as it was wanted, and he thought the Government would provide land for any soldiers who wanted it and who were capable % of going on it with a reasonable prospect of success. DEALING WITH SOLDIERS' BUSINESSES. The question of maintaining businesses was more difficult. The Government had asked the Efficiency Board to select trustees throughout New Zealand, but the policy had not developed far. He thought the businesses of men going away should be temporarily amalgamated with other businesses, or kept alive by trustees under control of the Efficiency Board. The question of providing new businesses for returned men was even more difficult. The Government were willing to spend money as far as possible, and these questions must be considered from a practical point of view. Technical schools, accountancy schools, and State farms were open to soldiers, and the Government had hoped before this to have established a communal fruit land area. He believed the Government would adopt a similar policy with regard to all land. If it was deemed advisable to secure land and hold it communally and let soldiers get on to it and do the initial work, he believed the Government would be inclined to listen to any suggestions, but there did not seem to be any demand for it at present, and it was no / use starting until there was. I — !