MARTON R.S.A. VERY DISSATISFIED WITH SOLDIER SETTLEMENT

Wanganui Chronicle, 22 April 1950, Page 3

MARTON R.S.A. VERY DISSATISFIED WITH SOLDIER SETTLEMENT

Stating that the position was “getting far beyond a joke," Mr. A. J. Cameron handed out some sharp criticism of the manner in which soldier settlement was being handled by the Government and by the Rehabilitation Department, at the annual meeting of the Marton branch of the R.S.A. on Wednesday night. “There were not enough farms coming on to the market to feed a starving cat,’’ alleged Mr. Cameron. Two years ago, continued Mr. Cameron, he attended a meeting in Wanganui and was told that land settlement was being held up because of the shortage of wire. “Now there’s enough wire in the country to hang the lot of them, and we still haven’t got farms. They're just fooling around,’’ said Mr. Cameron.

After quoting figures of land settlement, Mr. Cameron said that recently when working near a block to be used for soldier settlement, he saw four Government cars arrive. One of the occupants, when asked what he was doing, replied, "It was a nice sunny afternoon; too nice to stay in the office.’’

“It is about time this sort of thing was stopped,’’ said Mr. Cameron. “It is time sweet music and soft words were thrown overboard.’’ When a man did finally get some land he had to pay for all the rubbish. The president, Mr. G. H. Denbow: The association is absolutely dissatisfied with the rate of land settlement. Soldier settlement was taking too long and it was all due to the policy of the late Government of placing men on fully developed farms, said Mr. W. C. Whittington. If the present policy was adhered to some soldiers would die of old age before they got their farms. ' That aspect of land settlement had been put to the Dominion conference, where it was considered set dement would be quicked and cheaper if soldiers were given partly developed land, said Mr. Denbow. Although he was graded for a farm in 1945, Mr. W. Summerton said he thought he had less chance now than ever of being settled. Men fortunate enough to be settled a few years ago were gaining benefits of present prices and would do all right, but others still being settled were having to pay in some cases, £2OOO more for the same sized units. “Those in charge do not seem to be worried about the position,’’ said Mr. Summerton. It would not be long before the Land Sales Act Amendments would apply to farms, said Mr. Summerton. Pressure to have this brought about would be applied and the result would be that soldiers would never get farms, or if they did, the price would make them uneconomic,” said Mr. Summerton. “I think some of the mistakes made in the past won't be repeated,” said Mr. Denbow, who added that there were indications that the new Government was adopting a more sympathetic attitude toward the problem. The secretary, Mr. K. J. Coombe, said that land settlement would be considered at this year's Dominion conference of the R.S.A.

ANZAC DAY SERVICE IN MARTON ON TUESDAY The speaker at the Marton Anzac Day service to be held in the Civic Theatre next Tuesday afternoon will be the Rev. Nigel Williams, vicar of St. Stephen’s Church, Marton. The observance of Anzac Day will follow the lines of previous years. Prior to the main service a short ceremony will be held at the Marton Park Cenotaph, on which wreaths will be laid by representatives of Marton organisations. R.S.A. members and other units parading will then march to the Civic Theatre via Follett Street and Broadway for the main service. The Marton Municipal Band and Marton Scottish Society's Pipe’ Band will both parade. There is to be a dawn parade service at Hunterville on Tuesday and all R.S.A. members are to assemble at the Church of England at 5.45 a.m. The citizens' service will be held in the Hunterville Town Hall, commencing at 2 p.m., to which the public is invited.

In honour and memory of those who paid the supreme sacrifice in the two World Wars a solemn requiem Mass will be offered by Rev. Father Phillips at St. Francis' Church, Marton, at 9 a.m. on Anzac Day. A full senior choir will render the singing appropriate to the occasion. An invitation is extended to ex-servicemen to attend.