LOANS TO SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 1, 26 September 1918, Page 7

LOANS TO SOLDIERS

A WAR RELIEF PROBLEM

Uniform system required.

Tho advisability of making advances :to returned soldiers desirous uf going' upon tlio land or entering business was discussed by the executive of tlic "Wellington War Relief Association yesterday. The executive decided that for thepresent no advances of this kind should be made from the patriotic funds controlled, by tho association. The chairman (Mr. 'li. 0. H. Tripp) said that the Claims Committee liad been encountering difliculties with regard to advances to returned soldiers. The committee had been assisting somo men to go on the land bv advancing .half tho rent. The Government madecertain advances, but further assistanco was required in some cases. The association was being protected in some cases by the Government timings ing to collect milk cheques and repay tho-advances made. But. the committee had felt that it was not fail , to give assistance to men wlio were going oil the land a.ud deny it to men wbo were entering other businesses. The businesses did not provide the same security that a farm oftered. The association 'had suffered some losses in connection with advances to men going on the land. The Auckland Society was not making any advances at all. The ChristcTiurch Society was making advances, and also grants to men who were going on. the land. Other districts, such as Wairarapa and Stratford, were making advances to soldiers settling on land. These advances were secured on the land. The difficulty about advances to men embarking oil other businesses was that the security was uncertain. The question of principle had to he faced. Was the association goin« to make advances to returned men or was-it going to confine itself to - relief work?, Tho executive went into committee to consider this question. .After discussion the committee adopted the following resolution, moved by Mr. J. Hutchesou:— "That, owing to the increasing number of. applications for loans from returned soldiers desirous of settling on the land, and the obvious difficulty of aiding- applicants desirous of financial assistance to establish ..themselves in other walks of life, the executive endorse the Applications Committee's recommendation that no more loans of a [ike nature be granted, at least until such time as a general scheme he evolved enabling something like uniform treatment to be accorded to ;.ll classes of applicants, and that a deputation present and explain this decision to the Acting-Prime Minister." '. .