Ex-servicemen And Land Requests

Chronicle (Levin), 13 January 1949, Page 6

Ex-servicemen And Land Requests

WELLINGTON, Jan. 12. "* A grand total of 6771 ex-sefvicemen of the Second World War, has beem settled on their own farnis by the Rei habilitatiop Board, aecording to a statement this evening. by the Alinisteiv of Rehabilitation, Mr. Skinner. He pointed out that this number "was substantially more than half of the 12,082 uien graded A for immediate settlenient, since the scheme began. The largest category in those settled is that of 4705 nlen linanced by the rehabilitation loans committee on to single units which applicants bought.1 direct from vendors. Another 728 men have been permanently settled on subdivisions of Crown blocks while 175 uien have been similarly placed but are awaiting completion of linanciai adjustinents with the loahs committee. The number of Maori ex-servieemen placed on land thi'ough the Alaori reliabilitation finance committee, is 78 n ot including Alaoris settled through ordinary channels open to Alaori and pakeha alike. Another 295 men are at present employed by the Lands and Survey Department on the developmeut of Crown subdivisions to wnicli they have been. promised tities when the, farnis have reached a satisfaetory stage of production. . Finally, said the Alinister, 790 graded ex-servieemen have been placed on farnis without the need for rehabilitation loan assistance, this number including freehold and Crown and private leaseliold tenures. Still awaiting settiement are 5311 grade A men and the Rehabilitation Board is doing its utniost to have thelu placed wutli as iittie delay as possible. Under training in various types of farming at the end -of November were 700 ex-servicemen while another 704 were awaiting the commencement of their traiiiing courses. Aitogetlier 2482 men had completed courses since the beginning of the scheme. In November alone 43 linished their training. A i great majority of ex-servicemen sought | training in dairy farming, 1014 having j received tuition in this lcind of fai'in- I ing, shcep farming being second with j 547, followed by sheep and agriculture 328, mixed farming 212, fruit growing 91, horticulture market gardening 81, poultry farming 39, agriculture 28, bee farming 22, hops and tobacco 'growing 18 and pig farming 1.