SOLDIER SETTLERS.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13932, 14 July 1917, Page 1

SOLDIER SETTLERS.

DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT.

PHI ME M'XISTJSR'S STATEMENT.

(Per Press Association.);' WELLINGTON, Jiilv IS.'

In the House this afternoon, a lengthy debate took' place 011 the subject of settling soldiers on the land, following upon the, laying on the table of a paper by the I'rime Minister,

Mr Massey, in reply, said he approved of the idea of settling soldiers in groups miller some such system as provided by the Lands Settlement and Financial Acts. He could practically promise that legislation for this purpose would be introduced this session. The fact was that the Government was receiving offers of more land for soldiers than it could dispose of. For .this land there Was not the'demand many people' supposed. He" referred to the criticism that it would cost nearly £100,000,000 to settle the soldiers at the present rate, but it was unfair to take one or two instances and calculate all the cases on that basis. Tlicy must take an average, and that would be about £IO9O per man, This, however, was not lost to the country, as the State still had the land as security.