NEW BILL WELCOMED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27514, 7 October 1950, Page 8

NEW BILL WELCOMED

Settlement Of Former Servicemen PA WELLINGTON. Oct. 6. Mr Eric McCallum, the chairman of the Lands Committee of Federated Farmers, in a statement today said Federated 'Farmers welcomed the introduction of the new Servicemen’s Settlement Bill. His organisation realised the difficulties confronting the Government in endeavouring to complete the settlement on the land of all ex-servicemen who wished ito become farmers. At the same time, the Bill indicated that while it was keen to carry out the promises made to exservicemen, the Government was going to try to rectify some of the anomalies and injustices which existed under the old legislation.

Mr McCallum said that the settlement of soldiers at the 1942 valuation, with the use of the suspensory loan as a safeguard for the State seemed to be an excellent idea. The abolition of the 1942 values as applied to the sale of all farm lands ended an injustice which had rankled in the minds of the farming community for a considerable time. They also welcomed the return to a commonsense method of valuing land. , Mr McCallum said that while no doubt the intention of the Government was good, it should be obvious that some of the provisions restricting the ownership of land would present considerable difficulties. One thing which would not appeal to farmers was the fact that compulsory provisions for the taking of land still remained, but the fact that this state of affairs was to end in the middle of 1952 was a welcome step forward. From the whole tenor of the Bill, however, it was obvious that the present Minister believed he would get much further, and be more successful by adopting a policy of negotiation rather than by using coercion and compulsion. “ I am quite sure,” concluded Mr McCallum, “that if the Minister uses this method of procedure he will be successful, and will be given all the assistance which the members of our organisation can give him."