POLICY ATTACKED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26242, 28 August 1946, Page 6

POLICY ATTACKED

SETTLEMENT OF LAND SOCIALISATION ATTEMPT ALLEGED (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Aug. 27.

A suggestion that the Government was trying to socialise land under the guise of rehabilitation by acquiring private property for the settlement of returned men, but retaining its own, was made by Mr G. F. Sim (Oppn., Rotorua), speaking in the financial debate in the House of Representatives to-day. He said that 6000 to 7000 young men were waiting to take up farming, but land was not available. Mr Sim asked what example the Government had set in cutting up its

own properties. It was taking over private farms and, probably quite rightly, bigger blocks for subdivision, but near Te Awamutu was the Waikeria prison farm of 3900 acres. This was divided into two blocks of 1700 acres each and one block of 500 acres with buildings. The farm was carrying 500 cows and 5000 sheep. One of the 1700-acre blocks, if cut up, for rehabilitation settlement would make 15 or more good farms for ex-soldiers and would carry an aggregate of 900 to 1000 cows. Uniformity in the amount of the interest-free portions of building loans was required. It caused dissatisfaction among returned men when one found that another with equal service got a higher interest-free advance. Mr Sim said. The Government was encouraging collar-and-tie jobs, and not catering for country youth or those wanting to take up trades. There were bursaries for academic courses but not for trades.