ASSISTING RECRUITS

Otago Witness, Issue 3245, 24 May 1916, Page 3

ASSISTING RECRUITS

NO GOVERNMENT CHEESE-PARING. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, May 16. The question of what was being done in regard to the rent of Crown tenants who had left their farms and enlisted was raised by Mr Okey to-day, when he asked the Prime Minister if arrangements could be made so that the payments should cease while the men wore serving their country and not become arrears to be paid off on their return. Mr Massey said that last session he asked Parliament to give him this power, and it was granted in the Land Bill. The posi tion taken up by the land boards throughout the dominion was that when a Crown tenant enlisted and left his section in a nonproductive state, no rent was expected. There were, however, many cases where sections were left in a partially productive state, and in such instances partial exemp tion was arranged for. He had dealt with many such sections recently, and not one application had been turned down. The Under-seoretary for Lands had told him that so far there had been about £3OOO worth of exempted rents. "We do everything possible," said Mr Massey, "to assist the Crown tenant who is doing his duty to the country. It seems to me wonderful that such a large proportion of these men are enlisting." Mr Poole inquired if tho occupants of workers' homes and applicants for advances to workers who had financial obligations would receive consideration if they found it their duty to enlist. Mr Massey replied that ho did not recollect any such cases having occurred, butso far as the Government was concerned there would be no cheese-paring in regard to our soldiers.