DANNEVIRKE DEPUTATIONS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 203, 22 May 1919, Page 5

DANNEVIRKE DEPUTATIONS

LAND FOR SOLDIERS AND LAND AGGREGATION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Danncvirke, May 21. Tho Hon. D. H. Guthrie, Minister of Lands, at Dauncvirko last evening, met a number of local deputations. ' One from tho soldiers urged the speedy' opening up of the Tiratu Block, an increaso in the. Government Riant in specially approved cases, and an alteration in the tenure to permit a soldier to buy oA a neighbouring soldier if he wanted to. The -Minister held out no hope of oer-i milting soldiers aggregating in this wny, and said an extension of tlifa present limit of advance -was a matter for Cabinet, lie said that Tiratu Block would be opened in July. Tho ballot would bo hold at Danncvirke. A water supply for tho block would be provided, and the sections would range in nrea from 100 to 250 acres. The Minister was also approached by a big deputation from the Chamber of Commerce on the subject of land aggregation. Ho said he was fully alive to what was going on, and intimated that tti certain cases under notice the provision. of tho Act of last session would bo put into force if the present intention of suspected aggregators was carricd out. He intended making an attempt to eloso the loophole in the '-lause of" tli'o last Act relating to aggregation. , Other* matters dealing with the-shortage of railway trucks, stock, repatriation, and the electoral headquarters of the Pftlnatua electorate wore brought under the Xtinie-' tor's notice, and will be referred to tig different Ministers oonwirned.