A MAGNIFICENT GIFT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 87, 5 January 1918, Page 8

A MAGNIFICENT GIFT

I LAND FOR RETURNED SOLDIERS MR G. HUNTER, M.P., PROVIDES 2535 ACRES A very generous offer of land for returned soldiers has been made to the Government by Mr. George Hunter, M.P., and accepted on behalf of tha Government, by the Prime Minister. Mr. 'Hunter lias written lo Mr. Massey as follows:— "Dear Mr. Massey, Regarding my promise to make a free gift lo the Government of part of my land at Porangalmi, 1 now desires to confirm that promise and offer to tlio Government an area of land comprising about 2535 acres, being tlio whole of my freehold land between the old Wal-lingford-Poraiißahau Road and the Poraiipahnu River, tlio land to bo utilised for tlio purpose of soldiers' settlements, and to be balloted for at the termination of tho present war with Germany, or within six months thereafter, and to be conveved by me to the Government when the land is balloted for. Until the land is balloted for, I ■ am to retain possession, and be the owner for all purposes, but the Government is to have the right at anv time from now to survey, subdivide, and road the land, and take other steps to prepare tho same for settlement—l am, yours truly, ~ "GEORGE HUNTER." Jfr. Massev told a Dominion reporter yesterdav tliat ho had accepted .the offer, which he regarded as a particularly generous one. Tho Lands Department would'proceed to do whatever was necessary to prepare the land for occupation 'by tjfeclmrged soldiers after the war.'