Land For Soldier Settlement

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 57, 7 March 1941, Page 6

Land For Soldier Settlement

Twenty Properties Acquired by Government

SUITABILITY OF MEN TO BE WATCHED Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Alarch b. An announcement that 20 properties, comprising about 29,000 acres, had been acquired for the settlement of diecharged soldiers, wus made by the Minister of Lauds (Hon. F. Langstone) to-day. All these properties had been offered to tne Government and there are some in both islands. The Minister outlined the policy to be followed in the settlement of the men and said that, besides the land which ha dalready been acqrired, other properties had been offered for consideration. The Lands Department had been on the job ever since the outbreak of

the war, acquiring properties where the situation and price had been right. The 20 properties referred to had cost, for land alone, about £155,000, and a lot of extra money was required for development, stocking, buildings, water supply, etc. Air. Langstone added that numerous offers had been received of properties, and these were being considered by the Lands Purchase Board. Of course, many were unsuitable, and under no circumstances would the department buy land unless it stood up to the closest and most searching scrutiny as regards productivity, general suitability and location.

With regard to selection and settlement, the Lands Department wag working in close collaboration with the R.S.A., which was very interested in the settlement of the men who returned from this war, and shortly there would be a meeting and each and every property would be considered jointly by Lands Department officers and R.B.A. representatives, and settlement, would take place on approved linos. T l ** Minister said it was not propOLid. to settle any one property at one time. The men would return in groups and on an area that might settle 10 or a dozen soldiers, possible only three or four might be settled at the beginning and the rest settled later, as circumstances warranted. This was desirable so hat, as groups returned, they would be well spread out and the land meted out as fairly as possible. Due consideration would also be given to the qualifications of the men who went on the land. Some might he able to go farming straight away, while others might need help and training, and no one would be finally selected for a farm unless he had ability and a bent for farming. That was w r here the R.S.A. would come in. The whole scheme would be dealt with to obtain the best possible results and avoid mistakes.

Mr. Langstone added that the idea was to have the location of properties as spread out through the Dominion as possible, with the proviso that the land was suitable and other facilities, such as markets, schools, roads and other amenities, available. They must avoid going away back into the highlands on poor land.