SOLDIER SETTLERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19405, 13 August 1926, Page 12

SOLDIER SETTLERS.

REVALUATION BOARD'S WORK. OPERATIONS NEARLY OVER. A LARGE UNDERTAKING. SATISFACTORY ADJUSTMENTS. [by telegraph.—special reporter.] WELLINGTON, Thursday. The chairman of the Dominion Revaluation Board, Mr. J. B. Thompson, in hid annual report, states that in the case of settlement lands it was often found that, subdivision had been too close and it was possible to adjust matters satisfactorily only by increasing the area of the respective holdings. By making recommendations to the land boards quite a number of settlers had been granted additional areas from vacated lands, while others had obtained by transfer the title to adjoining sections. This was not aggregation in the ordinary sense, but opecial action necessary to place settlers on an economic footing. In certain swamp areas it had been necessary to grant relief from rent until such time as the land consolidated through drainage and became productive, Partially developed bush, pumice and gum lands had been given special consideration and the settlors had had every encouragement. Settlers on lands infested with blackberry had been given concessions, which might be looked on in the light of a subsidy on their personal efforts and expenditure toward keeping this pest in check. Original determinations regarding leasehold values or capital charges had been received in many cases, and in the light of further reports and information the board had varied its former decision and extended such relief as tho merits of each case demanded. Majority Now Solvent. The board had right through its operations endeavoured to size up the possibilities of each holding, and through adjustment of value every settler had been given the chance of making good. Tho board had continued its efforts in the case of mortgages subsequent to those of the Crown. It had endeavoured to have them voluntarily discharged in cases where no equity existed, and where that course could not be adopted had negotiated for the purchase of same in line with tho margin of security. <4. It was very evident- from the investigation of current accounts under the Soldiers' Settlement Amendment Act that the soldier settlers generally had been placed m a position enabling them to make good. The great majority were now in a solvent position and were meeting their obligations to the department as they fell due. The opportunity was now being taken of clearing up anomalies that inevitably occurred in a work of such magnitude. Five Months Mora Work. The Act gave .the board power to write off or to transfer to a suspense account any amounts which might be shown as having no equity. That it had been necessary to write off so little (at date 0.66 per cent, only of the capital invested) tended to show how the main operations of the board had assisted the soldier, settler. Practically three-fifths o! the current accounts had been dealt with and it was anticipated the operations of the Dominion Revaluation Board would cease in about five months. The report states that of 5284 applications for revaluation dealt with only 63 cases were due to forfeiture or abandonment, which is said io bo very satisfactory. The reduction in capital value of leaseholds was £1,754,207, and in Crown mortgages (under section 2) £726,601, a total of £2,480,808, The summary of operations as at March 31 last shows the total capital invested (comprising capital values of Crown leaseholds and advances under section 2 of the Act of 1917) to be £17,993,668.. The capital dealt with by the Dominion Revaluation Board was £12,528,835, and the reduction in capital by the board was £2,480,808. Provision lor Housing. Prom the inception of the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act to the end cf the year the amount provided for the housing of discharged soldiers on urban, suburban and rural lands was as follows: —Erection of 4856 dwellings on farms, £1,495,648, Erection of 4420 urban and suburban dwellings, £3,723,074. Purchase oi 7535 dwellings, £4,936,872. Tctal, £10,155,594. Now that settlers have had the benefit of revaluation of their properties by the Dominion Revaluation Board it is considered that they should be in a position to withstand any temporary depressions "which might eventuate and with roason* ably stable prices the department expects prompt payment of accruing charges. Current accounts are at present under review by the Dominion Revaluation Board in accordance with the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Amendment Act, 1924, and when this task is completed settlers aa' a whole should have little oause for complaint. M Losses Inevitable.", The report adds: It seems inevitable that losses should have resulted on the repatriation of discharged soldiers, and while it is unfortunate that the losses are so high it is submitted that the position in New Zealand compares more than favourably with the experience of other countries, where the repatriation of discharged soldiers was undertaken on a largfi scale. The total applications received for land from 1916 to 1926 (11 years) was 14,733, the allotments made were 3762, and the acreage was 1,352,800.