LAND FOE SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 280, 22 August 1919, Page 10

LAND FOE SOLDIERS

MR. MASSEY EXPLAINS POSITION SETTLING UNIMPROVED LAND i —. — The Primo Minister (the Right Hon. ■\V. I'. Mnssey) yesterday made an interesting statement in regard to the subject of discharged soldiers' land settlement, and gave a review of the operations of the Department, up to date. Afr. Massey stated that since his return to New Zealand lie had noticed various criticisms suggesting that tho Government was not displaying keen activity in placing soldiers 011 the land. Much of this criticism did not give .sufficient..regard to tho fact that much of tho Crown land now available was poor country,. which could not be regarded as being suitable for soldier settlement. Another point was the inclination of tho eoldiors themselves for particular classes of land. ' Sir. Massey pointed out that up to 1910 there was practically no demand for land by returned soldiers, owin" to thero bein" so few men who had returned up to March 31 of that year. At the end of March, 1917, however, 334 soldiers had beon settled 011 the land, and by tho sumo dato in 1918 . the -number !had increased to (>3B. By July 31 last 110 fewer than 2057 men had been settled. These figures showed thnt 1419 men were placed on the land by tho Department over a period of sixteen months, quite irrespective of financial authorisations to 3332 soldiers (luring the same period. It had heen stated that the soldiers settled by the Department wore in substitution of ordinary settlement, and thnt they would not therefore 6erve to increase production. In reply, the Prime Minister pointed out that 644 men had been placed 011 570,591 acres of virgin Crown lands, which were now being brought into cultivation, whilst 625 men lad been placed on subdivided estate?, where the moro intense cultivation was naturally making the land produce very much moro than it did. before subdivision.

Under the provisions of the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act, 1917, which enabled a soldier to purchase and improvo property, it might happen thai production was not assisted in every case. In several instances two or more soldiers were purchasing a single property under the provisions of this Act. It might be pointed out that even where tho soldier replaced an experienced farmer, he went into tho property with capital provided by the Government for stock, etc., and was in an even better position to make the section produce to its maximum capacity than the original owner, who, in turn, with the capital provided by tho transfer, was in a position to take up unimproved land. ltegardl'i? tho settlement of unimproved land. Mr. Mnssey pointed out that tho whole of tho Crown lands in tho Dominion had been reported upon and scheduled, and ffie remaining suitable Modes would be subdivided and settled at tho earliest possible date. Up to tho present one hundred private estates had beon purchased for subdivision for soldiet-9 (excluding Native blocks), forly-eight of which were at present being surveyed and roadod prior to being offered for selection. In addition, thiriy : seven private properties had been acquired by tho Government for individual soldiers, or groups of soldiers, under the provisions of the Discharged Soldie.rs' Settlement Act, 1917; At .tho present date thero wero 40S sections, aggregating 152,910 acres of good Crown and settlement lands, open for selection, and in addition thero wero over 30,000 acres of poorer land subdivided and roaded for selection, should a demand arise. The Department was ako withholding 10,000 acres of good scrub and bush lands in (he Mangonui county, which had alfo been subdivided and prepared for settlement in case it should lw required for co-operativc work. In conclusion, Mr. Masscy said he wished to emphasise the fact that it was his earnest desire, as well as that of his colleague, tho Minister of Lands, and tho officers of his Department, to do everything possible to hasten tho settlement of returned men oil the land, and at the same time, iir the interests of production, to bring about as far as possiblo the opening up of remaining Crown and nativo lands and the subdivision of largo holdings. He had already publicly stressed tho great necessity of increasing production in order to meet the heavy war impost that had been placed on tho .Dominion. Largo areas of land could not bo allowed to remain unproductive, and determined and sustained efforts, by legislation and otherwise, must bo made to bring such land into profitable cultivation. He .was extremely desirous of providing' financial assistant?! to bring in the swamp, pumice, gum, and dry lauds of Die .Dominion, but, of course, a policy of this kind could only be carried out with the approval of Parliament ill voting adequate funds for tho purpose,

Interesting Statistics, The following statement furnished by, the Department showed the position of the soldiers' settlement btmincftj up to July 31, 1919.—' General Summary. (a) Total number of returned feoldier-settlers assisted financially under the D S.S. Act ■ (18/6/19) 4,000 (Further applications from 352 soldiers at present awaiting completion.) (b) Total number of soldiers settled under the Act 2,057 (c) Ileuses: (1) Number of applications approved 1,5 tt — S,GOI (2) lViunber of applications under consideration 772 (d) Total area held 805,23-I<\. (0) Number and area of private estates purchased, .'including rativo blocks) end settled by soldiers, 85, comprising 207 0(.«a (f)Nuinber and area of purchased estates not yet ready lor selection, -18, comprising 129,259 a. (g) Total area available for immediate selectionOrdinary farm holdings 121,259 a. Poultry farms, etc. I.lffin. n< r 123 >' 112 a' (11) Expenditure: Approximate annunt expemlod 011 purchase of land for soldiers £2,8 M,67» (Comprising '103,449 acres.) (1) Total amount of advances Authorised to assist soldiers to purchase farms and dwellings, and for stock and Improvements (to 18/8/19) .£3,550,903 , P „ ~ ~ <26,397,582 (hirther applications, amounting to ,£'119,000, at present awaiting completion.)