MINISTER OF LANDS

Wairarapa Age, 19 November 1919, Page 5

MINISTER OF LANDS

ADDRESS AT FEILOIN6

[tiy fi'e!egrap&—Press Association) FEILDING, Last Night. The Hoh. D. H. Guthrie, Minister for Lands, opened his campaign for the Orua Electorate here last night. He gave a resume of the work of the National Government during the war. Referring to the break-up of the National Government, he said the Reform Party had held three separate caucuses ,and had unanimously decided by resolution that ,in view of the great reconstruction questions arising, and the heavy financial burden placed on the country, the proper course was for the parties to stand together until the country was brought back to something approaching normal condi: tions. However, Sir Joseph Ward and his party had decided otherwise, and ceded from the National Government on the eve of last session. Mr. Guthrie believed a very grave mistake had thus been made. Mr. Massey, however,, had accepted the position, and successfully carried through one of the most important sessions. Dealing with soldier' settlement, he said 4000 soldiers had now been placed on 1,300,000 acres, and 3000 had received advances to purchase town properties. Of the area settled, 600,000 acres was Crown land. The land policy of the Government was to further the closer settlement policy by the soldier settlement scheme. The total cost of settling the 4000 soldiers was about £7,250,000. Of this, five millions was foT advances. The Repatriation Department had advanced a total of £504,214 to soldiers as business loans, and for furniture, tools, training, etc. As to closer settlement, he said that during the past seven years 5805 holdings had been sub-divided into 13,419 acres. With Crown and native lands sub-divided, 19,000 sub-divisions had been provided, involving 3,854,846 acres. Referring to aggregation, he said ineffectual attempts had been mj.de in 1913, and again in 1918, but last session drastic proposals were passed which, he hoped, would entirely stop aggregation. Dealing with the cost of living, he claimed that the Government had done something. Through the Board of Trade, it had succeeded in keeping down the prices of necessary commodities. He quoted the increases in the cpst of living: Great Britain, 110 per cent.; Canada, 75; United States, 63,7; Australia, 16.6; New Zealand, 43.8. - Mr. Guthrie received a quiet hearing. He was given a vote of thanks* and confidence.

Mr. E. J. Tunnicliffe, a dairy farmer here, and chairman of the local Labour Party, is announced as the official Labour candidate for Orua. J