SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 179, 24 April 1920, Page 7

SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF

,OUR RECORD OF SOLDIER -.-•v. SETTLEMENT . y ' s.. ... ■ • | A MINISTERIAL REVIEW By'Telegraph-Frem a Correspondent. Inglewood, April 23. Speaking to-night, at a gathering to celebrate the inauguration of Inglewood County, theJlon. D. Hi Guthrie' stated that over 100,000 men of this country, had served overseas, and of the number re- / .turned cards had been issued to 77,368. Financial assistance to- . tailing £966,241 had bebn panted to 11,439 men. .The Lands Department had settled . 6102 .men on-i'arms, at an outlay of £10,876,834, and 6319 men in'town dwellings at.an. outlay of '£t,137,05G: so that 44,350 men had ten assisted by the two Departments—the Repatriation Denartmcnt and the Department of Lands—at an outlay of .a'bbut iEICOOO.OOO. Moreover, private .'es- . tales totalling 216,000 acres, which were being prepared for soldier settlement; had cost • iEI,SOO,OOO. Men'<to the'number of 1425 had been placed on SSC.OOO acres' of .' Crown land, "and 4132 men' had been assisted to purchase 85",000 acres.' ... It was a record of which'any country might be proud, said the Minister. Without suggesting invidious comoarisous, ho could say thaf.no other part of, the.Bri-, tish. Empire .'could equal ■ the' record of New Zoaland.. Too' much could not bo done, as the people owed a deeb debt to the men who had sacrificed nersonal considerations for the Empire's good. ■-.'[ Temporary "faperina-off."'. .''' When the subject of advances to soldiers was dealt last session, it was generally considered that in voting lasmillions Parliament was making liberal . provision. There had been suoh a heavy •' drain on the funds, however that it had . . been found, necessary to taper off the granting of further advances to , assist soldiers in the purchase of farms and dwellings. Cabinet.had decided that only - .exceptionally urgent applications could be - considered, and until Parliament had another opportunity of dealing with tho question of .making further provision • under the Disoharged Soldiers' Settlement Act, the amount remaining in the account would have to be conserved for advances for stock and improvements, and' for requirements connected with.the settlement of the land now. being prepared for selection. This land, comprised settlement . and Crown .lands, totalling' 700,000 •' acres, and would provide about 1000 Sections. ■' '.."'' Had Cabinet not taken" this precautionary measure, the Department; would have,. y run out of filets before Parliament could' ' have met, and it would not have boen in a position 'to make' the, necessary advances for the settlement . of .' lands. The" decision was not to 'be regarded as a \ final N departure from the policy that had-been adopted in the past of assisting men in tho purchase of private lands, and, dwellintrs. : There was a special feature in connec- "■ tion with the greater portion of the money used for soldier settlement. It was to be found in the fact .that tho Government did not-go on to the open - market to,' borrow,, but .• utilised nart. oi (he surpluses accumulated, dnrin? the war neriod for soldier repatriation on tho .land.-So far as,the Land for Settlement Vaccountwas concerned,'there were aniple •'funds, for. the purchase of estates/for subdivision for soldier settlement: , .-"■_