FARMING PROSPECTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 11, 26 September 1944, Page 6

FARMING PROSPECTS

SOLDIERS ON THE LAND

MR W. SULLIVAN'S QUESTION

Cases could be cited where men of the last wax*, and other able farming men when about to purchase, a property were not allowed to do and wore informed that such property was required lor the rehabilitation of men of thi& war, declared Mr W. Sullivan Bay of Plenty) in the House of Representatives when lie aslkcd the Minister of Lands whether he would take urgent action to sec that new areas of suitable farming lands Avcre ac-> quired and made available l'orf re- 1 turned servicemen who were qualified to go on the land. He asked also that where a serviceman of the last war was about to acquire a property such serviceman was not deprived of the right, to acquirc such property.

The opening of new areas for the settlement of discharged servicemen was hindered by circumstances which Ave re very difficult to overcome at the present time, f replied the Minister of. Lands (Major the Hon. G. F. Skinner). Fertiliser was essential for the. establishment of new pastures and their subsequent 'maintenance and the Lands De-

partment was rationed in the same manner as private farmers. Sufficient fertiliser Avas not yet available to make it a sound proposition to settle discharged servicemen on many of the areas that were, being held and developed by the Department, while inaterialsi for the erection of houses and other farm buildings were also in short supply. He heartity agreed that urgent action was. required to make suitable fanning land available for qualified discharged servicemen and everything passible having regard to the limiting factors mentioned, was beings and would be done to that end. Progress' would of course be greatly speeded up as soon as the general supply position improved. So far as the acquisition of farms by discharged soldiers of the 1914-18 Avar was concerned he regretted that it Avas; impossible to carry out the wishes of Mr Sullivan as to do so Avoul-d unduly restrict the power given to< the, Crown by Section 51 of the Servicemen's Settlement, and Lands: Sales Act, 1913 acquire for the settlement of discharged seiwicemc.n of the present Avar suitable farms Avliich had been offered for sale bj~ their owners.