GIFTS OF LAND

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11047, 2 November 1921, Page 6

GIFTS OF LAND

FOR HAWKE’S BAY SOLDIERS. On the second reading of the bill dealing with Sir George Hunter’s gift of Hands for returned soldiers of the Hawke’B Bay district, the Hon. D. H. Guithrie (Minister for Lands) explained that the area was 2299 acres; that the gift was valued at £17,600; and that the rental from it already amounted' to £4OO. the accrued amount being £9OO. The bill provided for the creation of a trust to administer the property, the proceeds of which would be paid into a trust .account, amd used to assist returned soldiers and the orphans of th-ose killed at the front. The Minister paid a tribute of appreciation to Sir George. for uis generosity, and said that, while there were some who criticised the large landowners of New Zealand, ’there , were amongst them not a few who, without advertisement, bad given generously for the benefit 6f returned men. Mr G. Mitchell, Mr G. Witty, Mr E. Newman, Mr J. Vigor Brown, and others also spoke, conveying the appreciation of the House; and the Prime Minister added a word on behalf of the people of the Dominion. He hoped, he said, that there would he some special recognitionof a gift like this, so as to show future generations how New Zealanders had done their duty in. a time of. great naEonal stress, as citiaene of the Empire. Mr Mitchell, in bis Temarks, disclosed that Mr,K. S. Williams (Bay of Plenty) was one of those who had mad©- similar generous gifts.. The Minister, replying on the bill, explained that the capital sum might be used for all time for the benefit of soldiers in, the Hawke’s Bay districts, eoldiere of wars that might occur in the future. > The bill was put through, all ftp stages and passed. Sir George Hunter, in thanking the House, said if he had been aware ©f what was going to happen he would have taken care _to be elsewhere. He felt he was onlv doing hi» duty “as one of those too old to fight and too weak to run away.” /