THE SOLDIER SETTLERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18994, 16 April 1925, Page 8

THE SOLDIER SETTLERS.

ADVANCES FOR STOCK. EXPLANATION BY MINISTER. [BY TELEGIIAPU. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. A misconception arising from a reported utterance of the Minister for Lands, Hon. A. D. McLeod, on his recent East Coast tour, with regard to stock advances for returned soldier settlers, was corrected by the Minister to-day when his attention was drawn to the matter. " The report," said tho Minister, " is incorrect in one very important particular. It credits me with saying at Ruatorea that legislation had been introduced whereby advances made on stock would be written into the capital value. Obviously this could not be done. 1 discussed the point with returned soldier settlers on several occa sions during my recent visit to the East Coast, and I expressed the opinion that it was most unsatisfactory to have advances for stock and for permanent im provoments placed in one account, and that I had introduced legislation whereby tho department would bo able to capitalise or to secure by table mortgage the exists Lng value ©;f permanent improvements effected with advances made under tho Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act. Such an arrangement would not only facilitato matters for tho department, but would enable soldier settlers more readily to transfer their stock and chattel business to mercantile firms if they so desired. Full particulars in regard to current accounts are now being prepared by tho district offices, and as soon as tho Dominion Revaluation Board has concluded its work with respect to the valuation of land held by returned soldiers, tho question of readjusting current accounts will bo proceeded with."