RIGHT TO FREEHOLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25306, 17 August 1943, Page 2

RIGHT TO FREEHOLD

SERVICEMEN ACQUIRING LAND

SUPPORT FOR R.S.A. REQUEST (P.A.) HAMILTON, Aug. 16. Support for the views of the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association on the right of returned servicemen to the option of acquiring the freehold of the land was given by the 400 people who attended a public meeting last night. The speakers were Mr A. ,L. Fow (president of the Waikato r!s.A.), Mr S. J. Harrison (Dominion secretary), Mr S. S. Smith, of Te Awamutu, Mr G. G. Griffiths, of Matamata (a Dominion vice-president), and Mr D. V. Bryant (founder of the Waikato Land Settlement Society). Appeals were made to the people for support in a campaign to have legislation passed to give servicemen the rights shared by all civilians. Mr Bryant said he was prepared to give the whole of his time for the next two months to assist the R.S.A. to obtain justice. There were only two dissentients to a resolution requesting that all returned servicemen desiring to settle on the land should have the right to acquire the freehold of their holdings, if they so desired, and asking the Government to pass the necessary legislation.