SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 643, 21 October 1909, Page 7

SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS.

\ WISH TO SETTLE IIERE. ' ' . With reference to ; the'cnfelo from Londiii to ; the effect that it was reported: that 'Si' Joseph Ward had offered free land grants ti South African veterans residing in Canada; thi rnmo Minister, in denying'the report, etato that as he -was passing through Canada 1 ho re ccived the following letter;— ~ "Imperial South African Scrvico Aesociation, Toronto, August 31. ,' ; , "Sir Joseph Ward. . > ;,"Dear ' Sir,—Tlifi above association c(m----1 sists, solely of Imperial men, volunteers, or ■ regulars, who served in tho South African War, and who since havo.como to this country to settle. 'Our membership is nearly, five thousimdr tho average ago being 32 years, and we are desirous of settling on the land. We have submitted a scheme which ha 3 been ofDoially approved of by the Militia Council here, to tho .Dominion .. Government,; offering ton , years' reserve servico in return for a grant of '320 acres of freehold land. Onr association was pre pared to assist its members to the extent of j 800 dollars. Tho offer. has been set aside;'and it has been suggested-that per-: hap 3 your GovornmeUt may. consider it. If l yotir time permits we Would appreciate the courtesy of a brief interview, whereat We tould ontlirio our scheme, which, if not . altogether' favourable, hiay serve your • military authorities in formulating a sirni- • • laf one." •' In reply, Sir Joseph, from. Vancouver oi September. 9, wrote:—... "Dear;Sir,~l ain in receipt of youf let- ' tct'.of:, August 24, and note the rcpresenta-, tions contained ■ therein. 1 shoufd have liked;, to hivo met your ; wishes for.an interview, but as my stay in Toronto was limited to a couple of hours on Saturdays night last, it was not possiblo for me to do BOi If you will write me, however, to New Zealand, and givo me full particulars Of - tho scheme you refer to, I will ba very glad to -ook into tho matter there. . "Yours faithfully, "J. G. WARD."