ADVANCES TO SOLDIERS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14705, 4 June 1920, Page 4

ADVANCES TO SOLDIERS.

(Per Press Association, j . "WELLINGTON, June 3

A deputation, consisting of the whole of the delegates to the Returned Soldiers' Association's Conference, waited on the Prime Minister and the Minister of Lands (the Hon. Tt. H. Guthrie) to-day to lay before them matters in connection with the stoppage of loans under the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act. They asked that instructions be given to Land Hoards to receive applications in respect of commitments entered into before April 22. The Minister of Lands said that the soldiers themselves could not be more enthusiastic than the members of theCabinet in regard to providing for the soldiers on the land. Unfortunately, the demands which had come in were so great that the provision proved inadequate. At the first opportunity he had sounded a note of warning. From April, 1919, to March. 1920, the total amount expended was £12,610,000. or £IIO,OOO more than had been authorised In April of this year £885,000 liad been spent. Mr Guthrie referred;to the fact that- even the little cessation which had taken place had had a steadying effct on the inflation of. land values. The Cabinet's decision was not to cut off the supply, but to steady it. or, if possible, to give jip buying houses because that was not increasing the supply of houses. Clause 2 of the Act had ~ been inserted to meet the needs of disabled and injured men who could not take land requiring strenuous working, and the Government thought the time had arrived when they should ease up on the one-man-one-farm projiosition, especially when it had 61 improved estates and Crown land totalling 700,000 acres available for settlement. In reply to a question, Mr Guthrie said thatapplications would be received by the. Land Board, and each would be considered on its merits. There was a sum f £382,000 in hand for stocking and improvements, and the Minister of Finance had given authority to go to £•■500,000 a month until Parliament met and decided the ouestion. The Prime Minister said that he had promised to find £500,000, and instead he had found £3,000,000. That was no breach of promise. What had been done was necessary from a financial point of view, and also for the good of the country, as the purchasing of land was helping to create a boom. The financial position was what they were up against, but. consistent with keeping the finances in a sound condition, everything possible would be done to place the soldiers on the land. He advised the men to go on- part of the large area of Crown land which was being made available, so that they could get experience gradually, instead of starting on land at £2-5 to £SO an acre, Mr Massey read tho actual Cabinet minute on the subject as follows: "Effort to be concentrated on the settlement of land already purchased and Crown land available, Operations under Section 2 of the 1917 Act- to 'be tapered off. No more houses in .the centres to be purchased unless for special reasons." Mr Massey said that a contract entered into before Cabinet came to a decision would be regarded as a reason for special consideration. A resolution was subsequently carried bv the conference expressing general dissatisfaction with the Prime Minister's reply, and appointing a. sub-com-mittee to draw up a resolution covering the various issues raised by the deputation. '