PLACING RETURNED SOLDIERS ON THE LAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10108, 16 October 1917, Page 2

PLACING RETURNED SOLDIERS ON THE LAND.

j M 3 HUICK’S SPEECH. i Speaking in tho House on Friday, Mr Vhiick (Palmerston North) said:—‘‘Sir, .1 wish to congratulate the National Cabinet and the Minister of Lands in ■ particular, on the success that has attended the placing of returned soldiers on the land. Out of 10,000 men who have returned, 500 of the, number have been put on the land, and only a small percentage have proved failures. As the soldiers come hack in greater number when the war is over, I believe the scheme will be even more successful, because many of the men now returning | are somewhat broken in health, while ! those who come hack after the Avar will ho strong and robust and (it to go into the bal'd work of farming. Something was said by the last speaker about the price of the ilighden estate. 1 am well acquainted with that estate, and I think the owners of it have made the Government a big gift. Land of the same quality, though nearer to the town, was sold at auction the other day at an average of L' 77 per aero. The smaller sections without buildings wont up to Till), and the men who look up tho land consider they tvill all do well and I think they will. Our returned soldiers will he in two classes-—-the class bred in the country and used to the hard work of the hack blocks, who tvill go back to the hack blocks and take no tlu 1 cheaper land and do the harder work, and another class roared near the towns, and perhaps not on farms, who will want to take up small farms, which would require to be near the town, especially if the men are cripples, lor they would not bt able to go on horseback over the hills. These men would require a small farm at a higher value. As Jong as money can ho made by fanning it does not matter twopence how Idea," the land is. If they are making the profits they can afford to pay a good | vice for it, and I am sure that under -heso circumstances the price will not h- found to he too much. I am very much pleased at the movement on the" part of the Prime Minister when he says he is going to work unimproved lands with- the labour of returned soldiers with the view of enabling them to take up these lands when they have been so improved. 1 am confident it will pav the State to improve these lanes and make, them fit lor the soldier settlors to at once start and earn a living upon them. I think it will prove to he a good idea and that it will do a great deal of good. When the soldiers come hark and go to work on these unimproved lands they are not only engaged in improving the land hut they are at the sumo time adding to their own practical knowledge, and are also making themselves acquainted Avith the quality of the soil, and naturally they will do better Avhen the land passes at last into their own hands than ut they had been put at first on the land in its unimproved state and had to make their own living from the .stmt. There is no doubt that some of tho land will be excellent when it has been improved, cultivated and manured, and 1 think it is a first-class scheme putting on the soldiers themselves at a Aveekly wage to effect tho necessary improvements instead of bringing in strangers for the purpose and then afterwards lotting the soldiers select this improved land. Wo do not want any idlers among the returned soldiers, litcro is nothing better than to find them work to do, and i think this is a splendid scheme for giA'ing them a start in life and helping (,limn to become self-reliant farmers. There is no doubt there Avill have to he ,i good many soldier settlements near the toAAiis. because many of these returned soldiers will not be fit to go on back-blocks farms, and for this purpose it, will be desirable to have land near the toAvns that will bo capable of intense cultivation. lam pleased to see that the Government is taking the thing seriously in hand, and that close to settlements we shall have land taken up at a higher price that will be suitable for intense cultivation and where our returned soldiers may do well and make good citizens. Wo require all sorts of produce raised on both large ! sections and small ones, and such rural industries as fruit-growing and the Keeping of a feAv coavs Avill enable many a soldier to live in comlort near the towns. The progress of New Zealand will at the same time he I .militated by greater production and more intense cultivation. 1 think, sir. tlufre is little need lor me to say more. I can only congratulate the Government on the'success of their settlements as lai as they have gone, and f hope they Avill go on progressively and do then best lo help our soldiers when they conic hack to become most industrious and contented settlers.