FARMERS’ APPROVAL OF THE NEW SETTLEMENT BILL

Wanganui Chronicle, 7 October 1950, Page 6

FARMERS’ APPROVAL OF THE NEW SETTLEMENT BILL

WELLINGTON, Last Night (PA)— Mr Eric McCallum, chairman of the Lands Committee of Federated Farmers, in a statement yesterday said that Federated Farmers welcomed the introduction of the new Servicemen’s Settlement Bill. His organisation realised the difficulties confronting the Government in endeavouring to complete the settlement on the land of all ex-servicemen who wished to become farmers. At the same time, the Bill indicated that while it was keen to carry out the promises made to ex-servicemen the Government was going to endeavour to rectify some of the anomalies and injustices which existed under the old legislation. Mr. McCallum said that the settlement of soldiers at the 1942 valuation with the use of a suspensory loan as a safeguard for the State seemed to be an excellent idea. At the same time, the abolition of 1942 values as applied to the sales of all farm lands ended an injustice which had rankled in the minds of the farming community for a considerable time. They also welcomed the return to a commonsense method of valuing land. Mr. McCallum said that while no doubt the intention of the Government was good, it should be obvious that some of the provision's restricting the ownership of land would present con-, siderable difficulties. One thing which would not appeal to farmers was the fact that the compulsory provisions for the taking of land still remained, but at the same time the fact that this state of affairs was to end in the middle of 1952 was a welcome step forward. However, from the whole tenor of the Bill, if was obvious that the present Minister believed he wcWld get much further and be more successful by adopting a policy of negotiation rather than by endeavouring to use coercion and compulsion. “I am quite sure.” concluded Mr. McCallum, “that if the Minister sticks to this method of procedure, he will be successful and he will be given all the assistance which members of our organisation can give him.”