LAND FOR SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 141, 10 March 1919, Page 6

LAND FOR SOLDIERS

RIGHTS OP MEN IN CAMP ; ON ARMISTICE DAY t—A -slight difficulty has cropped up in regard to the settlement on the land of soldiers, who were in camp at the time of the signing of the armistice. The legislation dealing with this matter gives .. to all fit men in camp at the time when ; .the, ivar ended all the, rights to land given to soldiers who have served overseas, except that of taking part in a ballot for land specially reserved for the settlement of 6oldiers. But the Act prescribes that land may be given only to "discharged soldiers,and none •of the men released from camp were given discharges. Every man received a certificate of leave in lieu of discharge, and the land boa.rds who have the administration of soldiers' settlement have held that they are not permitted by the law ■to-consider that this certificate is sufficient.' They require a soldier applicant ' for land to obtain a discharge. This the soldier should be able to do, but he must make application to the Defence authorities for his discharge. It should be noted that the provision in favour of the men who were in camp at the time when the armistice was signed applies to all men who were in camp at the time who went in as fit men. Most of these wouM, as a matter . of coarse, be membcrr. of a reinforce"ment 1 draft'in training for active ser■'■Tice, but those men-who were actually doing home service work in camp at the time are not excluded from the benefits of the Act. If they went into camp as fit men they are entitled to land under the conditions specified. Over-age men and unfit men who took home service jobs in the camp are not entitled. Neither ore the men who, after having gone into camp as fit men, were discharged from - camp as unfit before the signing of the armistice.