VILLAGE SETTLEMENTS FOR SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2885, 25 September 1916, Page 8

VILLAGE SETTLEMENTS FOR SOLDIERS

* 1A CHEISTCHURCH idea. • Br Telegraph—Press Association. ohristchurcii, September 23. At tho ceremony of tho laying of tbo foundation stono of the Soldiers 1 Memorial Hall at Darfield this afternoon, Mr. H. A. " Knight, chairman of the Hall Committee, said that tho erection of tho hall was only tho Beginning of a bigger scheme —that of placing tlio returned soldiers on the land as 'farmors. They know tho futility of putting men with, insufficient capital, and with little or no experience, on tho' ordin-ary-sized farm. There were'other ways to help returned soldiers, and ho thought that with tho help of tho Government and of tho Minister, a village garden scheme could bo realised Under that scheme single 'men could live in hutments and have a common dining-room, which would bo conducive to economy. There would bo no necessity to specialise, especially in the matter of selecting seeds suitable for land in the district. The plots of land for soldiers could bo worked on the profit-sharing principle, if necessary. It would ho to- tho benefit of tho farmers of the district to go into this scheme, and if it wcro taken up there were in the vicinity of Darfield many farmers who would employ these returned soldiors at a fair wage. He suggested. that the soldiers' allotments should ho from five to ten acres, or whatever area was desirable, and they would be able by co-operating with the farmers of the district to have heavier work done by farmers' teams. The Hon. G. W. Russell, ' in the courso of his speech, said if Mr. Knight would lay before him a concrete proposal in regard to this matter ho would bring it before tho War Funds Committee, and give it his most careful consideration.' The War' Funds Council'held at present about £20,000,' and ho thought that if Mr. Knight placed his. scheme before him as suggested, ho could promise that the ""Council would bo prepared to give a subsidy to establish tho first returned soldiers' village settlement in Darfiold.