LIEN ON MILK CHEQUE.

Wairarapa Age, 9 December 1921, Page 7

LIEN ON MILK CHEQUE.

CASE OF RETURNED SOLDIER. The case of a returned soldier dairy farmer, who complained that he had been compelled to give an order for three-fourths of his milk cheque, due from the dairy facory, to pay his interest to the Repatriation Department, was brought to the attention of the House by Mr J. A. Nash, M.P.

The Hon. Guthrie (Minister in charge of the Repatriation Department) said that the department had to be very firm in its administration, because there were amongst the returned soldiers some who were quite able to pay their interest, but would not do so. They said that others had not had to pay, and they would not. The returned soldiers who had taken up sheep-farming were in a very bad way indeed, and the department was doing all it could to help them. But the men who had taken up dairying land had done much better. A great burden had been cast upon the Government to help the slieep-farming soldiers, but the other men had no call to rely upon the Government to the extent that the sheep men had. The case mentioned belonged to a very rich dairying district, and the man should not be in the position in which he found himself. Every consideration had been extended to him. When a man recognised his responsibilities, the department was satisfied with an order for a quarter of his milk cheque; but if he did not an order for half the cheque was required. In the first place the man in question gave an order for one-fourth of his cheque; then the department required an order for half of it; but it was intended that this should supersede the order for one-fourth of the cheque, not run along with it. Mr Nash: But he left the first factory and went to another factory altogether; so that it was not collected. The Minister: That is so. My instructions to the department are to assist every man to the utmost; but if men do not recognise their responsibilities and do their duty, they have to take the consequences.