The Star. Delivered every evening by 5 o'clock in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, Waverley. TUESDAY, JULY 10, 1917. SOLDIERS AND LAND SETTLEMENT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXII, Issue LXXII, 10 July 1917, Page 4

The Star. Delivered every evening by 5 o'clock in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, Waverley. TUESDAY, JULY 10, 1917. SOLDIERS AND LAND SETTLEMENT.

It is satisfactory to learn that the Government have lost no time in subdividing the land so generously transferred by Mr Parkes at a price considerably below its market value. It is ideal country for small settlement, and the returned soldiers who are lucky enough to draw the sections will have an excellent chance of making good homes for themselves, especially if they can satisfactorily get over the difficulties of making a start. The Government advance of £500, however, wii! not go far in providing buildings and stock, and we imagine something more than that will have to be done somehow. But the men who get this land will be on a good wicket ultimately and it would seem to be a case in which, if the Government cannot give more, the patriotic funds might be used with advantage. It may be added that this is not the only instance in which suitable land in this district has been offered to • the Government. Few land owners can afford to be so generous as Mr Parkes, but other good land in South Taranaki was offered some time ago at a price which was below market value, and a scheme of sub-division and building was suggested, which has since been carried out at a cost below the estimate. The property is now passing into the hands of small tenants on very reasonable terms, though, still beyond what would have been necessary had the Government accepted the offer. however, the one experiment that so far is being tried in this district is likely to be quite successful, and we should like to see others attempted. In this connection looking further afield, w e are glad to observe that during a discussion at the Soldiers' Club, Wellington,

_he other evening, Mr A. P. What- ! nan, of the Wairarapa (whose gener- ! jois patriotism is a credit to all New j Zealand), was able to give a most en- j jouraging account of a visit which, in company with Mr J. I. Fox, another helper, he had paid to soldier settlements. He said they had visited Feilding, Palmerston, Marton, Dannevirke, Takapau and land in the vicinity of the Wanganui river; and everywhere matters were progressing satisfactorily, though there were instances where difficulties had to be overcome by men who were lacking in experience. Mr Fox, in some interesting remarks, was rather more critical. He referred, .to the quality of the land visited, and said that in some districts where land had been bought, it could have been got cheaper, and also better land could have been had in the same district. To remedy this he advocated the seeking of advice and information from local farmers of repute, who, he felt sure, would be only too glad to offer their services. Such a system was. needed now; how much more so when land settlement would be very much more extensive? Thejand belonged to the nation until it was paid for, and the nation had a right to expect that the man going on the land would use it> to the best advantage. In the buying of stock, too, the Government should exercise supervision. The question of advance was a troublous one. The advance of £500, the speaker held, should not apply to all classes of land. That should be the minimum and the maximum should be the amount of improvements the land required. The boys they had met on their trip were willing and anxious to settle down, but | were having a "pretty rough go," and the Government should be prepared to offer them sufficient money to enable them to hold on. Many returned soldiers were prepared to go on the land if suitable arrangements could be made for them. Sir Robert Stout, who also took part in the discussion, advocated the institution of special settlements, and suggested that there was scope and opportunity for one on the Waimarino Plain. But such a policy would need very cautious consideration. Most people's knowledge of the Waimarino Plain is that obtained by running through it on the Main Trunk trains, and cannot be more than superficial, but certainly, viewed in that way, the Waimarino Plain does not seem to be the sort of place to put inexperienced men for a start in life. Mr Whatman, we see, is strongly in favor of the view that it is good business to put the soldiers on improved land, and as he has first-class knowledge of the subject, his. opinion is of great weight. He believes, too, that there would be no insuperable difficulty in the way of putting ten thousand returned soldiers on the land on conditions making for success. Settlement on that scale, if successful, would not only be a most appropriate method of repatriating the men, but would be of great advantage in the economic interests of the country.