SETTLING SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 214, 29 May 1918, Page 6

SETTLING SOLDIERS

THE LAND PROBLEM DEBATE AT FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE (Special Reporter.) „„ , , Masterton, May 28. J he much-debhtod question of the settlement on the land of returned soldiers was (iiscussed by the Weill Farmers Union Conference here to-day. Mr. J{. Vauitier (Whakaronga) moved: ' Hint the Land Purchase Board should purchase, some of tho beat quality land, handy to good, towns, lor cutting up into areas of 10 to -0 acres, for returned soldiers.

Mr. \ autier snid that there was more io be got out of good land than land of inferior quality, and he thought the scheme suggested by tho motion contamed several good points. It would be better for men to begin in a small way on a piece of fir6t-qaality land and afterwards go on tho bigger areas than to start on a large stretch of poor land and fail.

Mr. J. A. M'Leavey (Palmerston North) seconded the motion.

Mr. A. Stuart (Marton) said that the conference should be very careful about suggestions to the Government as to tho settlement of returned soldiers. He had seen a little of a returned soldiers' settlement, and in his own district lie was sorry to say that it was a complete failure. Mr. IT. Daysh (Martinborough) supported the motion. Mr. W. Ilr Sandford (Waimarino) said that uo soldier shouJd bo put oil land that there was not good access to. Mr. AV. J. Birch (Marton) said that they seemed so anxious to do something for the soldiers that they wero. liablo to overstep tho mark by inducing people to go on tho land who would be better advised to return to their own trades, He had seen tho soldier settlements in the neighbourhood of Marton where 6ome oi tho men already wero "floundering," ami spoke of the burdens which they would not shako off for very many years. Mr. H. Vile (Palmerston North) thought that tho motion go farther and propose assistance in the waj of a building for tho man to live in when he took up the land. The withdrawal of the motion was suggested. One advocate of this course argued that as New Zealand had a Land Purchase Board it was impertinent for the conference to touch on the matter at all.

Mr. Hugh Morrison said that if a returned man could be classed as suitable for a certain land of agricultural work it was the duty of the Government to seo that the land was forthcoming for him. It would be a bad thing to take up, the attitude that a conference of farmers should not take an interest in the question of settling returned soldiers. Mr. J. A. Austin (Waikanae) moved as an amendment:

Being confident that the Land Purchaso Board recognises the desirability of all land reserved for returned sokliore being suited to the abilities of the individual, in 6mall areas as as in large, this conference is satisfied to leave the matter in tho hands of the boaxd. Mr. A; Howie (Waverlty) seconded the amendment. The president, Mr. G, L. Marshall (Marlon) and Mr. A. D. M'Leod (Martinborough) thought that the Government should bo encouraged to purchase land wherever possible, providing the purchaso could be made at a price which would leave the soldiers an opportunity of making a success of the holdings. Mr. T. Moss (Eketahuna) contended that it would be wrong to put inexperienced men on to some of (lie land. He thought that'the'farmers should be prepared to assist the Government in any scheme that would place suitable soldiers on tho land—with stock, foncing, and so on. They would havo soma disappointments, but it was the duty of the farmers to help the soldiers. It would be a mistake to advise the Government to purchaso high-priced land. Who had to shoulder tho burden? The returned soldier! There would be a bursting-up policy of big estates, and then would be the time for tho Government to get in;

Finally it was resolved to set up a committee to draw up a motion and report to-morrow.