SETTLEMENT OF SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 263, 2 August 1919, Page 8

SETTLEMENT OF SOLDIERS

A RAPIDLY EXPANDING SCHEME

EXPENDITURE EXCEEDS AUTHORISATIONS

MINISTER OF LANDS EXPLAINS

The fact that expenditure on tho eot- ) tlement of discharged soldiers has out"run the authorisations was mentioned by « "tho Minister of Lands (Hon. D. H. Guthrie), in tho courso of a statement to '-.a. Dominion reportor last evening, Tho Minister said that few people realised • : 'the magnitude of tho work that had been 'done by his Department in the placing of returned men on the land and tho extent of the effort that was still, being made'. / . ■■ ' "The full authorities under last years "legislation, amounting to ..£1,51)0,000, have not merely been fully expended, but have already been over-committed," eaid . the Minister, "and at tho present moment 'a sum of nearly .£1,000,000 is "required, to carry on this branch of repatriation ■until 'the middle of September. This 1 amount has after much difficulty been arranged for by Cabinet, and consequently there.will bo no delay in carrying out tho Department's obligations in connection with • its soldier-settlement '•'.policy until Parliament meets and issues , . further authorities." , " It was extremely difficult in the early Stages of repatriation, stated Mr. Guthrie, to make anything like-an accurate estimato of the amount that would bo required for the Department's purposes in this direction. Parliament had thought that ample funds were provided by the authorisation of the £1.500,000 referred ! to until the session of this year. Owing hi the cessation of the war. however, and the rapid demobilisation of tho troops, it has been found that the repatriation demands, so far as land settlement was concerned, had far exceeded the amount ...Voted, as already stated. The position ■ created had caused tho Government and the Lands Department serious consideration for some time past, but happily ar. rangements had now been made that "would tide over tho difficulty until the forthcoming meeting of Parliament, when early legislation would provide for further authorisations. Tho position'■ was ••intensified, of course, bv the postpone. ,' mentof the session of Parliament; which under ordinary circumstances .would have met during .Tnno, and. would have immediately taken into consideration the .'.Provision of funds fcr soldier-settlement •purposes. ' ■ • ... The expenditure to whicli tho Depart went was committed up to tho present totalled £3,057331. This sum had been Uisposed of to 3GS3 soldier applicants in advances under the following heads:— Under the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act, 1915,, section 6, general improvements and stock—lll authorisations, ' £500 335. ' ! '" Under section 3 of the amending Act, 3017, advances towards purchase of fee simple of private or native lands—6So authorisations, £1,156,467. ' ; 'Advances towards purchase of Crown leaseholds-196 authorisations, £259,710. Advances towards purchase and erec- . tion of dwellings on freehold lands—l3B7 authorisations, £335,380. ~, , Discharge.of mortgage on freehold and '■.' Crown ' ■ leaseholds—l 79 . authorisations, £162,152. ' ' Improving and stocking lands, purchase ot chattels, etc.—23o authorisations, £U3,387. .-', The Minister added that in addition to tiie expenditure under the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement . Act, a sum of • .-£2,&W.6Z9 had been expended in tho purchase of 201 private estates, comprising 262,737 acres, for settlement by returned soldiers. Up to June 30 last no fewer than 1803 soldiers had been settled on tho land under the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, holding an area of 739,522 acres, while the ,area available for immediate selection was 107,215 acres. "The facts I have mentioned,'' said Mr, Guthrie, "afford abundant proof of tho importance of the big forward policy that has been developed in this branch, of ■"■—- repatriation. The Government is doing ,its-best for the soldiers, and the figures already quoted show the extent of the settlement scheme, which is a great national work in the interests of the returned men."