MINISTER OF LANDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17631, 22 May 1919, Page 5

MINISTER OF LANDS

VISIT TO DANNEVIBKE. (Pes United Press Associatioh.) DANNEVIBKE, May 21.' The Hon. D. H. Guthrie (Minister ot l ' Lands) met a number of local deputations at Dannevirke last evening. One from the soldiers urged the speedy opening up of the Tiratu block, ah increase in'tbe Government grant in specially approved cases, ' and an alteration in the tenure to permit <*. soldier to buy out a neighbouring soldier if he so desired. The Minister held out no hope _of permitting soldiers aggregating* ' in this way, and said an extension of the present limit, of advance was a matter for the Cabinet. He said that Tirafcu would bo opened in July and the ballot held in Dannevirke. A water supply for the block would be provided, and the sections would range in area from 100. to 250 acres. The Minister was also approached by -the Chamber of Commerce on\ the subject of land aggregation. Mr Guthrie said he was fully alive as to "what was going on, and that in certain cases under notice the provisions of the Act of last session would be put into force if the present in- , tention of suspected aggregators was carried - out. It was intended to make an attempt to close the loophole in the clause of the * Act relating to aggregation. "" Other matters—dealing with the shortage of railway tracks, stock, repatriation, and the electoral headquarters of the Pahiatua' , electorate—were brought under the Minister's notice, and will be referred to -Hie different Ministers concerned.