REPATRIATION POLICY.

New Zealand Herald, Issue 17266, 16 September 1919, Page 6

REPATRIATION POLICY.

A marked difference is being exhibited between the repatriation policies of Australia and New Zealand. The Commonwealth and State Governments have recognised that the building of railways is a vital element in successful land settlement and New South Wales alone is about to spend £8,774,843 on approved railways and other works primarily for the purpose of assisting repatriation. In the Dominion there has unfortunately been no such recognition of the value of railways as a means of opening up new land for the settlement of returned soldiers, and departmental practice has constantly tended to confine the choice of soldiers to private land obtained at prices which are steadily rising against the State and the soldier. The loan authority for £12,500,000 which has been taken by the Government is an indication of the cost?««of tHe present policy, and while the country will grudge no money which is necessary for repatriation it is entitled to expect that both taxpayer and soldier shall receive full value for the expenditure. Over £4,000,000 have already been spent on the purchase of private estates. Had a considerable portion of this sum been devoted to railway construction a very much larger area would have been available for settlement to-day, soldiers would have had cheaper land, and the State would have had substantial assets. It is not yet too late to open up Cro'-n and native land for returned men by a bold policy of railway and road construction, and there will be general disappointment if the Public Works Statement does not show this to be the intention of the Government. The permanent excuse for the failure to resume a reasonable public works programme has been shortage of labour. This can no longer be pleaded. Demobilisation is far advanced, and if the Minister cannot now command sufficient labour it becomes his duty to show how and when he expects to augment the supply. The obvious fact of the situation is that there are thousands of New Zealanders, soldiers and civilians, who are anxious to go on the land, and would willingly help to construct necessary communications if given a pledge that after a certain period of service they would receive a grant of Crown land at a fair price. A more energetic Minister for Public Works would long ago have taken advantage of the notorious land hunger to assist him in recruiting labour and combining public works with settlement. Sir William Fraser's motto should now be " better late than never." '