SOLDIER SETTLEMENT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10546, 24 March 1920, Page 5

SOLDIER SETTLEMENT

MEN ON BUSH COUNTRY. MAJORITY DOING WELL. Two members of' the Wellington Laud Board, accompanied by two omcers ot ,the department, have returned from a visit to soldier settlements between Kaetihi and laumarunui and Wanganui River, the object of which was to see if £fae men were farming their land properly and settling to. civilian hie. The. majority of the farms •are ;in bush country. Members of tho party atate that the men ? r e battling gamely to bring their holdings to protit. Several of the farms, w'hich average 150 to 250 acres, are not burnt-off yet, bulb'others are in good grass and Carrying excellent stock. Some men had not taken kindly to woric after war, but the commissioner gave every man a fighting chance, and if a man gave up it generally was his own fault. Ninety per cent, have made good. Women and children were seen on some blocks. Discussing tho settlement of country, a member of the party said that this class of settlement would eventually be moro beneficial to tho country, because ot the jjreater production that would result. He was phased to ilear that neighoburing farmers wero helping these soldier settlers in a generous spirit. There had been some instances where men suffering from shell-shock had had to give up, but they were given tho value of their improvements. Ho stated that South Island men had a crav-, ing for it he north.