LAND FOR THE RETURNED SOLDIERS.

Free Lance, Volume XVIII, Issue 972, 13 March 1919, Page 6

LAND FOR THE RETURNED SOLDIERS.

An Unsatisfactory Situation. | RESPITE the long and laboured' statement made by the Minister of I/ands with regard to the policy of the Government in providing land for settlement, by our returned; heroes, the public dissatisfaction with what it deems, rightly 'or wrongly, to be the ineptitude and blundering of the Xlands Department in this matter is not likely to subside. The fact cannot be denied that, already an alarming number of soldier settlers have surrendered, their sections, finding the land allotted to them to be of so poor a quality that, to make eren a bare living thereon was an impossibility. At Palmerston North last week the president of the local Repatriation Committee quoted some very remarkable facts with regard to the difficulties with which some of the returned soldier settlers had to contend. • *** * " In on© instance the men were actually _ compelled to surrender, not only their, sections, but their stock and household goods, which were under lien to the Government. After working hard for many months they :had to give up the unequal fight against impossible conditions and go out practically, penniless. As tjo the quality of the land which had been acquired by the Purchase Board it was stated sheep could not be kept on the bare hill country " even if they . _ were stuck on, with glue." Here is a distinct, definite charge made by a reputable, responsible . citizen: ; What answer, what explanation, if any, has the Department arid the Purchase Board to make ? *, V ; ' * * A grave blunder was undoubtedly made by- Parliament when it weakly agreed .to. the ridiculous idea of leaving the repatriation arrangements to three or four Ministers instead of appointing; 'one thoroughly; competent man. to havie.vsole and undivided control. It .-iis -nowi clearly- a Caee of too many cooks spoiling the broth. In a few months from now some 30,€00 to

ijsbldieirs will- be back., in New Zealand. A large/proportion; will be men. who, in pre-war times, followed urban occupations, but a very. large number are men .who would make splendidly useful settlers, whose-: energy and hard work and practical knowledge, were it afforded fair scopef<?r employment on;, the land, would help, substantially -i to the output of production. Does the Government sufficiently recognise the importance of having land ready for occupation by these men ? We fear it does not, and that red-tape methods and divided Ministerial responsibility will be responsible for a state of affairs which willi further complicate an already seriously involved economicposition.