LAND FOR SOLDIERS

Otago Witness, Issue 3414, 20 August 1919, Page 21

LAND FOR SOLDIERS

SCHEME FOR BREAKING-IN. WELLINGTON, August 12. A suggestion has been made that blocks of undeveloped land should be acquired and broken in by groups of returned soldiers. The New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association has decided to ascertain the extent to which* the proposed scheme will be attractive to returned men. With this object in view, it has made tentative inquiries, and it is understood that the Minister of Lands is favourably disposed towards the scheme. The broad plan is that a number of returned soldiers, suitable to the size of the property to be acquired, will begin work at a contract rate to be agreed upon for all that is necessary for providing access, etc., to the block. The sections into which the block will be subdivided will be balloted for. BUSH SETTLEMENT SCHEME. PROPOSALS TO THE GOVERNMENT. WELLINGTON, August 15. The general secretary of the Returned Soldiers' Association has sent the following letter to the Minister of Lands: —"With reference to our interview with you when you so kindly offered us 40,000 acres of good bush land under the scheme we submitted, this association heartily thanks you for your offer. We are now taking steps to inspect this land and report on its suitability for such settlement. As was suggested we attach a general scheme of settlement which we propose should be put into force. This, of course, would be subject to any alterations • which would n ake for the improvement of such settlement. If our scheme is approved by you and the land you mention proves to be unsuitable we would be glad if you will allocate another block. We should be also glad if the Government would allocate some' blocks of unimproved swamp land, which could be broken up into about 100 sections for dairying, and this association will undertake to provide men for its settlement under similar conditions, especially providing for meu with no experience who wish to go on the land. 1 would point out that such a scheme offers the following advantages: (1), It settles men in groups of comrades; (2), it allo-vs a man without capital or knowledge of farming to take up land; (3), it would bring in land now unproductive ; (4), it is an efficient means of training men on their own farms who have no knowledge of the work; (5), it is one of the soundest methods of repatriating men who on returning found their places in the towns filled by women; (6), it is cheaper for the Government to advance money to break in unimproved land than to pay high prices, including the unearned increment created by winning the war, for land in a high state of production; (7), a soldier would have the lmearned ."ncrement, if any, instead of the knd speculators; (8), it would tend to steady land values; (9). there is no better way of settling soldiers than to place them on cue land they have fought for and provide for their financing and training; (10), we believe such scheme to be financially sound and that 5t is in the best interest of tho country generally to upset as little as possible the readjustment in employment which has takei place during the war t>y providing returned men with land so that by their labours they may increase ouir products an! enrich our country. " The draft poposals for settling a suitable block of, pay, 40,C00 acres of native land by returned soldiers are: —(1), Tenure to be optional, with right of purchase; (2), the Government to survey the block into 40 sections, with a reserve of approximately 50 acre 3 suitably situated for a centre for store, dairy factory, school, hall, etc.; (3), the Returned Soldiers' Association to select and recommend to the Land Board 40 returned solders—lo with experience in bush felling, dairyirg, and sheep, and 30 who need have no such experience; it will not be lecessary that any have capital; (4). all settlers to be of suitable age, physically fit, and willing to fulfil the conditions of settlement; (5), the Government to provide the necessary capital for felling, burning, and grassing, and fencing 100 acres on cell holding, also tho amount necessary for buildings and implements if required, the price of the land and the cost of these items, together with the cost of reading, if any, usually loaded on such settlements to bo proportionally loaded on to each section, but to be free of interest for five year,* and thereafter charged at the usual irate of interest and sinking fund; (61, roading and all other work to be done jointly by the settlers at tho ordinary contract rates prevailing in the districts; so far as is possible the whole

of the arrangements of work and the methcxj of carrying it out to bo left to the soldier* comprising the settlement for their mutual decision: (7), if possible those selected fof the settlement to comprise a proportion of carpenters, painters, and plumbers, whoso services would be available for the con» struction of all buildings, etc., but suoh Id no way to interfere with their instruction hi the duties of farming; (8), if the blocs contains payable milling timber, arrangement* to be made jointly with the settlers for iti milling and disposal; (9), instruction in farming; one of the 10 experienced men to bo selected on account of his experience and general knowledge to be superintendent of the settlement until the work of roading; fencing, felling, burning, grassing, and in* struction are carried out, to be responsibly to the Lands Department for the propel carrying out of the work, to have nine othei 1 experienced men as assistants, and to b 9 responsible for a class of instruction of on* hour's duration each evening whenever such is practicable and for similar profitable enu plovment during wet days; (10), system of balloting—lo sections to be selected which are evenly distributed throughout the block amd to be balloted for among the 10. ex* perienced men, the other 30 to be ballotecl for among the inexperienced men. This is to ensure that the experienced men are distributed amongst the others and are im» mediately available for help and advioef (11), the settlers to decide what joint meaa» ures they oan take in the interest of the settlement in the way of transport, supplies, buying seeds, etc. GENEROUS LESSEE" S PROMISE REDEEMED. OHRISTDHURCH, August 13. A gratifying instance of a promise mad? and scrupulously fulfilled was before the Land Board to-day. The application was & routine one—an application for the transfer of interest in a grazing run in the Mount Peel- district to three discharged soldiers. The .details, however, were out of the ordinary. It was explained in support of the application that when six young men of the district enlisted the lessee of a run promised them tho goodwill of it when they returned. Of the six three have " gone west," and three have returned. The lessee, therefore, in accordance with his promise, applied to the board to approve of the transfer. The lessee's interest in the run amounts to £BOOO, and the net annual profit from it to close upon £2OOO. The transfer of the crift of goodwill is subject to stamp duty amounting to over £IOO, a cheque for which was forwarded. The solicitor for the suggested that, as the State was being relieved of its liability to the three soldiers, it might remit the stamp duty. The transfer ;v was approved, and it was agreed to recommend the Minister of Lands to arrange for the remission of the stamp duty. At its last meeting the board decided against an application -for an advance under the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act, owing to the vendor's value being considered too high. To-day the vendor appeared, and stated his willingness to accept 30 per cent, less, and the application was granted. The deal involved a total of £4OOO or so, and the discharged soldier, therefore, had a handicap of about £I3OO removed. VERY KEEN DEMAND. DANNEVIRKE, August 18. The evidence of the land hunger that exists amongst the returned soldiers is afforded by the Tiratu block, near Dannevirke, which has been set aside for_ a soldiers' settlement. In the ballot taking place next week for the 34 sections thero are hundreds of applicants from all over the dominion, and the ballot will easily be tho biggest yet held in Hawke's Bay. The demand for plans and application forma is still unsatisfied, well over 1000 havmfj been issued to date. Several day;* are still to go before the closing of. applications. Special steps are to be taken to accommodate the influx of land-seekei-3 when they present themselves for examination to the Land Board next week.