GOVERNMENT PLEDGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26909, 22 October 1948, Page 5

GOVERNMENT PLEDGE

SETTLEMENT OF SERVICEMEN FIRST-CLASS LAND ONlif P.A. WELLINGTON, Oct. 21. The Government was pledged to settle ex-servicemen on good land only, said Mr P. Kearins (Govt., Waimarino) in the House of Representatives to-night when the second reading debate on the Servicemen’s Settlement and Land Sales Amendment Sill was continued. Mr Kearins added that practically all the good land was settled many years ago, but the land which the Government was developing was of a type which private individuals would not develop. The main aim: of the Opposition was to divert attention from the good land held by their supporters. The Government was not altogether satisfied with the speed at which returned men were being settled and it would be more difficult to settle those who were waiting for farms for the reason that owners who had land for sale had already disposed of it. Mr J. N. Massey (Oppn., Franklin) said the Opposition did not believe in the compulsory acquisition of land, but it was the policy of the National Party that the Land Sales Act would have to remain for so long as ex-serviceiften needed assistance. It was not so much the Act which was causing the trouble but the administration of it. He said there was a considerable number of ex-servicemen who did not prefer to be settled on first-class land, but rather on land which they could develop and so create equity. Dr A. M. Finlay (Govt., North Shore) said land values had been held because the Government understood the problems associated with speculate • and uncontrolled prices. If the land sales procedure was to go, then a race of “Queen street farmers” would be bred.