LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5538, 19 September 1916, Page 6

LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

Touching on matters relative to the Expeditionary Force, in the course of an interview at Gisborne, the Hon. Aik 1). S. MacDonald said the number of men who had registered in New Zeal-mid totalled 90,324 (reports the Poverty Day Herald). Of these 63,373 had been passed an medically Unfit, and 59,183 bad been sent into camp. A later return showed that the total number of nun who had left New Zealand and who were now in training, was 64,263. The total number ot men who had returned to New Zealand as at August 24, wias 6368. These were all accounted for, and th,* number remaining unplaced was 331, of whom 11 were at Gisborne. In connection with the Discharged Soldiers’ Information 1)< partment and Discharged Soldiers’ Land Settlement Department .matters were going on satisfactorily, hut owing <o the high price of land and the high price of fencing and building materiel, and stock, matters in connection with land settlement were going slow. The department had to proceed with great Caution, owing to the phenomenal prices of products, land and stock, but the foundations were being laid arid land was being acquired. In addition to the Crown lands available for soldiers' settlement, the Government had purchased over 2*.(XX) acres, which, was being opened tip and prepared for .soldiers’ settlement. In addition to that soldiers bad tins option of competing at ballots for ordinal'/ Crown lands, and bid preference also.. There Had been purchased for settlement of discharged soldiers 7.4,000 acres and a number of other purchase.- wei e under negotiation at the present time.