LAND BALLOTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16340, 14 May 1927, Page 11

LAND BALLOTS

EQUAL CHANCES POE ALL. The preference clause in favor of returned soldiers in regard to land ballots came up for discussion at a recent meeting of the executive of the Southern Hawke’s Bay Provincial Farmers’ Union. It was introduced by the president, Mr. .1. Livingstone, who pointed out that in the past it had been the custom to stipulate that returned soldiers should take precedence of nnv civilian applications for balloted lands. This, he remarked, was all right at first and lie approved of every leturrcd man getting his chance, but he considered ihe eyes had now been picked out of the scheme and that any returned soldiers who wore still without land must have been rejected from former ballots as: unsuitable of as not having sufficient capital. They had numerous examples of men in the latter class having to give up their lands and he thought now the land available was becoming scarcer, that farmers’ sons should be given an opportunity to obtain land at the ballets. There were many of the farmers’ sons coming on and ihe land suitable for farming was becoming scarcer. He considered that any land coming nut from now on should be made available to the sons of settlors. They had acquired experience on their fathers’ farms and would have their fathers’ baching. There had been enough of inexperienced and incapable men on the land and lie considered settlers’ sons should now have unrestricted opportunities. The proposal was adopted, and it was further decided to endorse a resolution from Iho iHawke’s Bay Provincial Executive 'recommending the removal of restrictions and thus permitting farmers’ sons to participate in ballots on an equal footing with returned soldiers.