SOLDIERS ON LAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1656, 23 October 1919, Page 2

SOLDIERS ON LAND.

PROPOSALS RECOMMENDED. (Per Pre* Association.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 21. A discussion on the land question took place at the conference of the Returned Soldiers' Association. Mr G. Mitchell (Balclutha) said tho Land Colrimitteo proposed that -tho Government should open tip all undeveloped lands in tho Dominion so that they might bo occupied at once. All big estates would be valued and tabulated with a view to giving owners a fair notice of resumption by tho Government. Inflated .values were at the bottom of tho whold trouble regarding land. The Government should step in and stop land gambling, aiid tho committee recommended that land aggregated during the war should be acquired by tho Government at a lair value to tho; aggregators. Land speculation was ian evil that should, bo stopped. It was wrong to demand that soldiers taking part in ballots should have a certain amount of capital by them. Provided tho men had the amount of half a year's rent they should bo allowed to go to tho ballot. Ho had found, contrary to many reports, that tho soldier-settlers were in tho main getting on very weil. Mr Potter (Auckland), in supporting the proposals, said it was tho. undeveloped lands that should bo brought into a state of production. , During tho discussion Mr Mitchell said tho committeo agreed that tho price to be paid for any particular; picco of land should bo tho value of that land in 1914 plus an in. creaso at tho same rate as tho land increased in valuo for tho five years preceding 1914, and plus any improvements put on the land during that'period. By adopting such a principle the country would secure the war-created value.

Tho conference agreed to the principle, but decided to refer tho matter back to the committeo for a detailed report. Among th recommendations of tho Land Committeo adopted were- tho following: (a) That a land officer bo appointed by the 11.5.A. and attached to headquarters to take on hand all matters pertaining to land settlement; (b) that in all cases where desirable and possible stock should bo acquired with estates; (c) that as a general principle estates should not bo cut up into too small sections; (d) that no rural land over tho value of £7500 bei transferable without tho option of purchase; bo first given to tho Land Purchase Board, such option to bo exorcised within three months; (e) that such land cannot bo sold to anyone other than the Government for a period of two years after such options have been given at a lower price than that' asked from tho Government without tho approval of the Land Purchase Board; (f) that all land aggregated since January 1, 1915, may bo eompulsorily taken by tho Government at tho price paid by the aggregator, for settlement by soldiers. It was also decided to recommend that loans for-building settlers' homes be fixed as follows:—Single men £250, man and wifo £4OO, for each child £SO extra.