SOLDIERS AND LAND

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2785, 1 June 1916, Page 6

SOLDIERS AND LAND

FARMERS' UNION DECISION

SIR RIDER HAGGARD TO BE

INTERVIEWED

At the Farmers' Union Conference at Levin yesterday Mr. Daysh (Martinborough) moved that the nearest relative of the men at present serving with tho Expeditionary Forccs be allowed to ballot ax land ballots for absent soldiers on equal terms with returned discharged soldiers.

Speaking to the motion,-Mr. Dayshsaid that i'.n.ljr the Lands for Settlement Act this was nut alit wed, not even in the case of the returned soldiers who had not got their discharge. Mr. Hebenton (Masterton) instanced the difficulties besetting soldier applicants. Even a soldier about to be discharged could not get land until he held nis parchment.

The remit was adopted. Another remit that wis adopted ran thus: "That the Government be requested to acquire suitable' land, especially properties of . absentees, for returned soldiers."

Mr. Perry gave his view that a fnat many nbsiMife properties were held s.niply for profit, and if they were acquired we could attract to New Zealand the thousands of suitable settlers from overseas whom Sir Rider Haggard represented.

On the' motion of the president, the conference resolved, "That it be a. recommendation to the Dominion Executive to make arrangements to confer with Sir Rider Haggard on his arrival in the Dominion with regard to the settlement of "British soldiers in New Zealand."

Mr. O. P. Lynch (Paraparaumn) took exception to the proposal, and said that Sir Rider Haggard would be better employed in settling soldiers on the waste land of England, instead of trying to bring them in here. Within the last few mouths the Duke of Sutherland again had made a lot of clearances from his estates, turning men out bi their ancestral homes, so that he could make "creation grounds. New Zealand's first duty was to her own soldiers. A delegate: There is room foe them all. New Zealand should carry a population of fifteen millions. 1