LAND FOR SOLDIERS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 83, 22 June 1943, Page 7

LAND FOR SOLDIERS

REHABILITATION METHODS PROPOSED LOCAL COUNCILS The rehabilitation of. soldier-far-mers was the subject of a lengthy remit that came before the, Auckland Provincial Conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union on May 27. Mr A. R. Robinson moved the remit on behalf of the Waikato sul> p rov i n ce, as fo Hows: — "in the interests of the rehabilitation of soldier farmers, it is recommended that the. farmers throughout the Dominion elect committees in each and every district, and from these separate committees each elect an executive of three with the object of assisting officers of the Government in their purchases of land, for the settlement of returned soldiers, with their local knowledge of farmers under review. "And further, to advise and assist such soldiers in the management of stock and methods of farming whenever advice and assistance seems necessary. If this scheme is approved by the. Farmers' Union, then their Union to hike steps to present this scheme to the Minister of Agriculture, and ask his assistance to put it into effect. "Tiie controlling bodies to be Councils formed, in the. under-men-tioned centres: Auckland, Wellingr ton, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargil], Hamilton, Whangarei, Timaru, Napier, Gisborne, Wairoa, Te Kiiiti, Rotorua, Hastings;, Greymouth Masterton, Palmers ton North, Whakatane, Wanganui, New Plymouth, Blenheim, Oamaru and any other centres considered desirable. The Councils to consist of two elected members from the following organisations: New Zealand Farmers' Union, Dairy Associations, N.Z. Sheepfarmers' Federation. Returned Scrviees Association. "This panel to constitute 75 per cent of the Councils in rural areas.

"This scheme to be submitted to the Farmers' Federation as the coordinator of farming institutions and authorised channel of approach to the root."

The Provincial Sccrctary (Mr A. E. Robinson) pointed out that the Government was not likely to allow the proposed councils to tell it liow. it was to act. They were not told in the remit what, these bodies were expected to do. Mr H. O. Mellsop (Life Member) spoke of the need, for the provision of land at an economic price. Mr Hallyburton Johnston (Waikato) said the subject was yery important. Someone had said that not more than jO,OOO returned soldiers cf a total of, say, 100,'000, would go ou the land. Even if this were so, the interests of the 10,000 W'jfl'e worth every consideration. The President said that the remit might give rise to the. -impression that they were proposing to establish land sales agencies in the various districts. They should guard against a misunderstanding. They should also remember that ■conditions in. say, 10 years' time might be. quite different from present conditions. They must keep that in mind. On the motion of Mr S. S. Green (Northern Wairoa) the remit was carried in principle and referred to the Executive. „