STATE AND THE SOLDIER

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3030, 17 March 1917, Page 10

STATE AND THE SOLDIER

LAND SETTLEMENT SCHEME

IS THE. STATE DOING ENOUGH?

INTERESTING FIGURES

At the last meeting of the Advisory Board of the AVar Relief Federation, Mr. iAV. Kirkwood, of Stratford, alleged that the financial assistance given by _ the Government to returned soldiers who were going on the land wero far from adequate. He moved that tho Government advance of £500 to soldiers going on tho land should be increased to £1000. Mr. Kirkwood said that men were soetimes sent on to rough bush land, and that- tho Government advance was quite inadequate for such country. Anyhow, it was not a proper thing to put returned men on this rough land. Mr. Kirkwood'wished'to emphasise the point that tho Government was giving the. returned soldiers nothing; it wanted everything back, and with interest, too. £500 was an absurd Bum to start men on poor land with. For 200 acres of sheep country £1200 was needed, and for 80 acres of dairying land, valued- at £20 to £25 an acre, about £1000 was required. Recently several men who were successful in the ballot wero turned down because they had not sufficient money to finance the sections. A man went on to land in the Wairarapa and had had to apply to one of tho Taranaki societies for £1000 because ho had not enough money to work the farm. If the Government had £100,000 earmarked for this purpose an increase of tho advance t<> £1000 would only mean' a possible outlay of £200,000. Tho Government assistance was not a grant, it was an advance. ' And the money the Government advanced was an investment; .the Government got interest on it at 4 per cent. Some men drew splendid places, but could not get enough money to financo them ■ . Mr. Kirkwood has handed a Dominion representative detailed statements showing tho position of fl returned soldier who faces tho task of becoming a successful farmer in ■ tho circumstances created by the Government.

Tho following is Mr... Kirk'wood's statement of a niece of land : to be taken Tin.in the Rangitikei:— .. .. Say, 200 acres for sheep, etc., being a subdivision of an improved place, more or less hilly, with some fencing, moro or less suitablo, but no buildings. ~£■(£■ House for.married couple ... 350 House for bachelor ....;.... ISO Shed and yards 190 Fencing, say 100 — 400 Stock--200 ewes at 32s S2O '200 hoggets at 30s $)0 15 young cattle, sav, 18 : months old, at"£B... 120 ;■' — 740 1140 Without any allowance for frst year's vent (or interest), rates, and keep of self and'family. Value of land about £10 to '£12 per aero. ■■ ■ ' - ~' Tho next illustration concerns poorquality land in Taranaki:— Say' 80 acres for dairying, being a subdivision of an improved place with somo fencing, more or less suitablo, but no buildings. .'. . ..'"''".' B ' £ House,. .i£ .. for . marrieS .... ... . ■ ' -soupie and farqily-«'....;*..';.350..- -•_ House, if for bachelor ...... 150 Sheds 50 Fencing 60 chains, at. 20s. 60 — 260 Stock— ' ■ 20 cows at £15 - 300 ' 1 bull :.....' ' T

1 horse 20 Cart and harness 20 ■■■- 347 ImplementsPlough >2 • Discs ~.,..;.........,,.. I'i ■ «Hanw ........;....'.....'.... .10 , Chains, etc. ' .;..............- 3 " Sundrv tools .!...'.'.......'...'. 5 ; ■'.. . -~ .:• —- 42 .Factory shares, •' • 20 Factory cans ' J... " : --, i ■ •— 28 Manures and seeds for 1 ■ first year • — 30 Single mail i — 707 Or with'married-quarters..., —-. 907 This is without any allowance for first year's rent (or interest), rates, and keep of self and family. .. ■', Value of laud about £20 to.£2s,per acre. ; 'i .'■-..'' The cost of working a; farm of over 1300 acres in the Ohura district is set out.as' follows: — ,'• ':. . ■... First Year, •'•■ .;.■■( ~"'.'£ s. d. Rent per annum '.......... b2 16 ' 0 ■.Felling, . survey, grassing, supervision, £4 per aci'O 400 0 0 Fencing—Ring 'fence and .-' one division: 133 chains at £2 per chain (labour and material) 268 0 0 Ratos, 2d. in £ on unin.i - proved value ;.:. IS 0 0 House, two rooms 100 0 0 Keep of settler for 12 months (food and cloth-. ing) ...: 7S 0 0 Interest on £500 advanced ' by Government at 5 per . cent, .(including 1 . per. cent, sinking fund) 30 0 0 Interest on £436 (amount required over and above amount advanced by Government), at 6 per cent. 2" 0 0 093 16. 0 Second Year. Rent :..' §216 0 Rates 13 0 0 Interest -57 0 0 Keep .' 75 0 0 Total 1221 12 0. Profits. Profit on 200 ewes off 100 acres, at.end of second * •year •• 200 0 0 From the foregoing statement it is apparent that before the settler is in a. position to make a profit of £200 ho requires to -make an'outlay of £1221 125., and can only show this; profitafter the second year. Note.—£4 per acre for felling, sltrvov, etc., is made up as follows:— ' £ s. d. Felling per acre 2 ! G Supervision and survey 0 2 6 Grass-seed, freight, and sewing 1 15 0 "400 To above add cost of stock, farm im•plfwnts, horses, trap or dray, outbuildings, etc.