SOLDIER SETTLEMENTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 25 August 1922, Page 5

SOLDIER SETTLEMENTS

IN SEW SOUTH WALES

(By Electric Telegraph —Copyright) (Auhirauuii find iS.Z. Gable nssqci>iUOii.

SYDNEY,

The Assembly adopted a motion to appoint a Royal commission to inquire into soldier settlements with a view to adjusting grievances. These grievances are widespread and acute. , The Minister of .Bands -stated that some estates purchased at "great expense remained unoccupied. In other cases where blocks were never confirmed udvances were ' made without security. Although money was available and a large number of soldiers were desirous ol settling, ne refused to purchase any more estates because the system was unsound and the principle wrong, and in many cases it was impossible for men to make a success of farms. New South Wales had arranged to spend 17g millions on settlements of which the Commonwealth Government would provide millions. Already, £9,826,000 of Commonwealth advances and £1,861,000 of State money had been expended in settling 7025 soldiers. Numbers of them had abandoned their holdings. To a- large extent the cause of the unsatisfactory results was the fact that the only qualification required was a military discharge. Many of, the men were without knowledge or experience of country life, 1 broken in health, and lacking aptitude for the frilling. They were plica! on the land with debts of thousands of pounds hanging over G. eir heaos. The whole system urgently demanded re-otganisa-tion. Some 1380 soldiers still remain to be settled.