SOLDIER SETTLERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14441, 30 October 1917, Page 2

SOLDIER SETTLERS.

REPATRIATION SCHEME FOX '"'.'. ! MARLBOROtrjGH. , . , ' Mr.-.R. M. »Bir_all,.^vho .attended yy^: meeting of tlie Advisory Board to tne Patriotic Societies' , Federation, held at ' Wellington on Thursday last, returned 4o "... Gisborne this ■ /morning. yEhe vmost: im>. portffiit business,' he states, was A; scheme for more «. effectively repatriating* discharged soldiers, a concrete scheme being submitted by, a depute 'iion.r of Marlborough delegates. The proposalswere exhaustively set out, . the salient features vbeing s that patriotic . associations ..endeavor to obtain offer of sale .a, sufficient area •of.Ysuitople land to establish a- training farm and proyide holdings, for discharged soldiers' andysailors , ..desirous ; »tq .-engage, Jn farm- ' ing pursuits. , Failing .an .association's effort »to {Obtain j^der option the required. land}, the ' Government; should be ; tirg^. Ed to acquiro it. :%iCompulsory purchase. From f; the area acquired sufficient . land should be taken' to jipihin a traiiiihg_ann whereon soldier trainees wodhi be - in- . stmcted"; m all branches of .agriculture, etc.,; the trying iar'ms t_**t.be tdfta per--Snanehir nature ah* property staffed,- ijeserved '^xclxwiyely'-'for -discharged sql-y diers .and sailors for :as long as foumT necessary,- and afterwards \>sons.>ot, 't"he, same, iand tihen, the, general, Adl-- \ ministration » should. he coritrqHedv by ?» ' board of five members s (including ". a representative roty'-y discharged 1 : soldiers)-. /During^ the first » five years ; the .firjit y coh- : - sideration should" be the ? production -of sufficient stock,;. seeds, plants, etc., to meet: 'the "• requirements .... ot r soldier . set*tiers. The balance of the area: purchased, with. /other lands V i acquired, should subdivided into-, settlers, holdings, .ranging from ;five : toiljen-jacre blocks for .poultry -farming 1 to 500 to "20001 acres for -pastoraL-^urpoßesVV Tiiese hold- : ings should \be,;> improved .and: brought into a- state of productiveness jn readiness 'for '►o"ccnpation.. , hv yti»iheesV -|ldn r i '"drably -discharged soUJiers rfesirine'yip"purchase private properties y>hs. entitled .to the same- asslstonce^and ,nri-:-vileges as .those attending^the/trainik|g, ■ farpis,^^ V^regardinjgythe advanc^yof ■Cftpfj ' tal, v-.npbn : :t^^ board* ■'-' -Other j provisions in -tne scheme ; provi(h3, ton re- _ j latives -tetkin'g >u|» holdings ': on rb^b^fVoj!'. | absent soldiers, all public institutions for j educational and ; instructional purj[«)_e» : | being^open iiree of charg^f to, discharged ! soldiers, etc. A .comnnttee, report >\ia ' the subject^ wascalw) sdbmitt^dy.involv--1 ing" vahous imp*ortant ihh'dya-liio^v'Thei ■ deputation included two representatives ,' of the . Returnejd. soldiers„. vAqsociatidn: \ (including "£Gap*Ki '^ : ,yyßi% y^presideh*^. I The scheme wajr ""favorably received,: an,d' 1 will /be considered v. with yihforma tion. [.W-A ■ the*" subject "'•' of -repatriation;' which 1 tjb'e | Advisory Board is obtaining., from Aua- \ tralia j "England,,! France, and elsewheise, * and it : is hoped .to put something ; de- \ 'finite before the Grdyernment, at the Dej cember meeting ot .the,, "Board: A.coinj mittee of five .(outside the Advisory Board) was set; up to, confer with the Board's special Land ,*get-fciement Cqih- -, , mittee on the formulation*^of;.*_roopos_is i for submission -to the Government. ,| '.; ■-'-■ & At