SOLDIER SETTLEMENT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 208, 28 May 1920, Page 8

SOLDIER SETTLEMENT

OBJECTION TO SETTING APART ESTATE FOR MAOBIS ONLY. Br Telegrapli-Pws Association. Tauranga, May 27. Tho local branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association is again moving in the matter of the Hcskings Estate, purchasced by the Government for a soldiers' settlement in tho Bay of Plenty, and then reserved for Maoris only. A deputation 6orae months ago waited on the Hon. D. H.. Guthrie, and it was then understood that the land wbuld he for open selection, but it has since been reported that portion is to bo reserved exclusively for Maoris. The. association referred the matter to the Wellington conference,- to urge that tho laud should be nrndo available to open selection by Maori and pakehn soldiers.

formation he could givo about future freight rates. His reply was that there was not the slightest chance of any information being availahlo at the moment on this point. The costs of running steamers had increased enormously. These running costs might be increased; and they might be reduced; ho could not sny.

Mr. Bullock, answering a question from Sir Walter Buchanan, said that he could give no information about future freight rates, because nothing was known. Tho companies' representatives were keeping nothing back. But whatever the freights for New Zealand might be, he ventured the opinion that they wlould compare very favourably with those for any other part of the world. Mr. Fiudlay' gave information about pre-war freights, and freights at present being charged to the Imperial Government. Admittedly tho freights were much higher (approximately a penny a. pound more for meat), but tho cost of providing for a steamor had increased in highor proportion. The companies would endeavour to give the producers as cheap a rate as they could, but he could toil no more than that. He had uo information as to what the probable rates would be. > When the shipping men had given the information which the producers had asked them to give, the conference proceeded to discuss the questions it had assembled to consider. In order to do this more effectively, cortain questions were propounded, and the conference'divided into two sections—producers and representatives of ■ freezing companies. This business was in committee. The decisions of tho conference will be reported to the Government by the Board of Agriculture.