SOLDIER, SETTLERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17338, 9 December 1919, Page 9

SOLDIER, SETTLERS.

HARDSHIPS AT WAIRERE. INCREASED GRANTS WANTED. MR. HERRIES SYMPATHETIC. [BT TELEGRAPH. —OWN correspondent] MOEBINSVILLE. Monday. A deputation of farmers waited on the Hon. W. H. Herries when he was at Waharoa with reference to soldiers on the Wairere settlement. They asked that the land at Wairere be reclassified so that the grant could be increased. The soldiers had been settled at Wairere for 12 months, and in many cases th e grant of £750 had been absorbed. It was stated that the Wairere. settlement was covered with high gorse and trtree, and any farmer who had the misfortune to break in such country found that it was infinitely harder to .bring to a state of productiveness than bush countrv, for -which an extra £600 was allowed f!>r improvements. Efforts by the soldier* themselves to have the grant increased had been unsuccessful. The Minister was asked to do what he could for the soldiers. Mr. Herries, in reply, said he was well acquainted with the land at Wairere, and quite realised that the soldier settlers had had a very difficult task. He would make representations to the Lands Department towards getting the land reclassified. Zlfflrl* he , could do for the soldiers wou-.d be a pleasure, and h e assured the deputation that the requests would be considered without delay