SOLDIERS AND THE LAND.

Mataura Ensign, 12 January 1916, Page 5

SOLDIERS AND THE LAND.

THE CIOV.EHXMENT’S' ACTIOX. PEB UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. AVELLI.X'GTt)X, Jan. 11. In spite of tho wide publicity divert to the Government’s proposals for placing returned soldiers on the land, some misapprehension still exists as to the amount of assistance the Government i.s ready to give to returned soldiers. ■ln view ofthe prevalent misapprehension of what he has had some evidence of recently, the Prime Minister made a statement on the subject to-day. ‘"Not only is preference a't ordinary* land ballots given to returned soldier* and soldiers on active service,” he oaid, •‘hut block? of land are specially set apart for soldiers in almost every land district in New Zealand, with the object of assisting soldiers with agricultural leanings to get on the land. Tho legislation was agreed to' by ment last session in the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act, which pro--viclcs that the Governor may from- time to time, by proclamation, set apart any area or areas of Crown land or land purchased under the .Settlefhent, Act, to he disposed of by, lease or sale to discharged soldiers. The same Act.alfio provides for financial assistance to soldier settlers for the purposes of general improvements, such as- clearing, fencing, draining, and the erection, of buildings and the onreha-se of implement-: and stock. The administration, of this parr of the Act is left with 'the T.and Boards, and if g hoard considers, that it is desirable that financial assistance should he given to a settler the Board, will make a recommendationto that effect to the Minister for Lands and will set out the nature and extent of the assistance recommended. The Act provides for tin* raising of £‘50,000 for these advances. This-will probably he only a very small parr of the sum which may yet he repaired for this.purpose, hut for the pre-cut it is ample. Having in mind the mistake, 9 of previous attempts at land settlement, provision was made in the, Act by .Parliament that no land leased or Bold, to ■ discharged soldiers shall ho transferred until 10 years after--the commencement of the lea-e, except with l the consent of the Land Board and with tho. approval of the Minister for Lands. “In addition to the ‘Setting apart of special blocks of laud, 'there is further provision that if a soldier applies to a Land Board, for a section andtheje happens to he no section available from lands .specially reserved for soldiers, the Board is to .supply the soldier with a section, ami is to for,ward at once to the Minister particulars of the section allotted in order that- it may he proclaimed under the Discharged Soldiers’ Act. If it is found, later that we have not sufficient Crown, land for.tin* needs: of soldiers, 1 shall he prepared to uiirchas-e - block.? of improved privately-owned laud in different parts of Xew Zealand for settle-, meiit by soldiers.” Air Massey stated further that a. special information bureau had been established to supply returned soldierswith all information they could possibly require about how to set about getting on the land, or about other matters. Jf the men wanted work this bureau, which was a Government Department, would find it for them. Leaflets of instructions were issued, and the Defence Department had published , a returned soldiers’ handbook. There was not the slightest not'd for soldiers nmfiing. through ignorance of tho facts, any nf the advantages to which they were entitled.