LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12777, 22 October 1919, Page 6

LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

RETURNED MEN’S NEEDS. POSITION DISCUSSED AT CONFERENCE. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, October 21. A discussion on the land question took place at the conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, In moving the adoption of part 1 of the Land Commit tec’s report, Mr G. Mitchell (Balclutha) said ho believed there were at. present 3000 cr 4000 returned soldiers looking for land, and another 6000 who were working at their trade, etc.. would take up laud if it were available. The committee proposed that the Government should open up all undeveloped lauds in the Dominion so that they might be occupied at once, and * all big estates should be valued and tabulated with a view to giving the owners fair notice of the resumption by the Government. Inflated values were at the bottom of the whole trouble regarding the land, and the winning of the war had been responsible for values being increased. It was entirely wrong that the soldiers, who had carried the dirty end of the stick out there, should come back and find they could not get land. Inflated land values were really a “ war gratuity” for the farmer. If the Government were valuing land to-day on 1914 values, then it was wrong that present-day prices should be asked. The Government should at once step in and stop Land gambling, and the committee recommended that land aggregated during the war should bo acquired by the Government at a fair value to the aggregator. Land speculation was an evil that should be stopped. It was wrong to demand that soldiers taking part in ballots should have a certain amount of capital ly them. Provided the men had the amount of a half year’s rent, they should be allowed to go to the ballot. He had found that, contrary to many reports, soldier settlers were, in the main getting on very well. The soldier had keen risks at the front, and it was only right that risks should be taken in settling him on the land. If given a chance the soldier settler would make good. Mr Potter (Auckland) in seconding the motion, said that undeveloped lands should be brought into a state of production. Mr D. Colqnhonn (Dunedin) said that too long a period elapsed between the time a man applied for laud and the grant being made. Only men with capital were able to obtain land. He favoured greater financial assistance given to soldiers’ settlements for the first two or three years of their existence. Poultry and fruit farms should be developed before the Government handed them over to soldiers. Mr W. E. Leadley (Christchurch) suggested that it should be urged upon the Government to increase the amount available for the purchase of small farms by returned soldiers from £2500 to £4OOO. Mr W. Pollock (Auckland) said he had found that most of tho estates which had been acquired for soldiers' settlement were bad purchases, because in almost every case too great a price i had been paid v . The principle of buying 1 for soldiex-s estates which were, at the i present moment, in a certain state of > productivity was not helping tho • coimtry one whit. By putting men on i unimproved land the productivity of , the country was being increased. After other speakers had contributed to the discussion, which lasted over two hours, Mr Mitchell replied, and pointed out that the committee felt that land belonging to absentee owners should 1 be taken first, as it was considered that such people were no good to the country. Tho committee considered that the land speculator and tho ■ I.W.W. agitator were the worst enemies of, the country to-day. Part 1 of the report was adopted un- | auimously, and the conference pro--1 ceeded to the consideration of part 2. , During the discussion on part 2of the Land Comihittee’s report, Mr Mitchell , said that the committee agreed that the price to be paid for any particular piece of land should be the value of , that land in 1914 plus an increase at the same rate as the land increased in value for five years preceding 1914, and plus any improvements put on tho , land during the period. By the adop- ■ tion of such a principle the country would secure the war-created value. The conference agreed to the principle expressed by Mr Mitchell, but decided to refer the matter back to tho committee for a detailed report.Among the recommendations of the Land Committee which were adopted were the following:— That a land officer bo appointed by tho R.S.A. and attached to headquarters, to take in hand all matters pertaining to land settlement. That in all cases where desirable and possible, the stock should bo acquired with the estates. That, as a general principle, estates sshould not be out up into too small sections; That no rural land over the value of £7500 should be transferred without) the option to purchase being first given to the Land Purchase Board, such option to bo received within three months. ■ That such land cannot be sold to anyone other than the Government for a period of two years after such option is given at a lower price than that agked from the Government without the approval of the Land Purchase Board. That all land aggregated since January 1, 1915, may be compulsorily taken by the Government, at the price paid by the aggregator, for settlement by soldiers. It was also decided to recommend that loans for building settlers’ homes be fixed as follows: —Single men £250, man and wife £4OO, and for each child £SO extra.