SOCDIERS AND THE FUEEHOLD

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 304, 17 September 1920, Page 8

SOCDIERS AND THE FUEEHOLD

DEPARTMENT'S ATTITUDE

EFFORTS TO PREVENT SPECULATION

','._., A.paragraph appearing.in the annual ..report of the Lauds and Survey Depart- . nient stating that a number of returned ■soldiers had been applying for the freehold of their holdings under the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act before the ten years which they-were'required Ito occupy (hem had elapsed, was mentioned iai the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon by Mr. E. Newman ■ (Mannwatu), who addressed a question -on the subject to the Minister of Lands. Mr. Newman asked the Minister whe- ' ther, in view of the importance of preventing these lands from falling into the hands of civilians agaim, and the danger of.soldiers being tempted to sell out for the prices at present ruling, he would be careful to see that in none but .very- urgent case's this was allowed. :. .Mr. (iuthrio said that the' policy of the Government was steadily against the soldiers selling their lands before they- had held them for the ten years. In cases where a man had taken up land and then found that he was not ablo to carry on, he was allowed to relinquish it by surrendering or transferring it, Vb'ut .-■ the Department took good care that it ...went to another soldier. They had had "applications for thd. freehold with a view to sale, but this had< been discouraged by * every, means ih their power. They were ; taking every care to see that the freehold of these lands did not pass into the hands of people other than -soldiers. a case where a man was '.in a position to make very great.profit out of a sale of his holding. There was one where a sum of ,£6OOO might have been realised. In cases of the kind the proceedings were stopped.

'ABOLITION OF PREFERENCE T0 :.'; v.--"-: .UNIONISTS ' f '-'THE PROPOSAL WITHDRAWN. . Conspicuous upon,the Order Paper of the. Legislative Council yesterday was a motion by the Hon. J. MacGregor advocating abolition of the "preference to 'unionists" system instituted by the Arbitration Act. The motion met with 'the same fate as another that stood in Mr. .MacGregor's name some time ago, proposing the repeal in toto of tho Act jn question: it was withdrawn. "In deference to the opinion of -i number of members of the Council who think it would be inadvisable to discuss this ques-tion-at present," said the lion, gentleman, •. "I move that it bo discharged ■froik;. the Order Paper." Tho Council agreed.

■~.:.V. STAFF CORPS OFFICERS THE SUGGESTED RETIREMENTS .JC.; . AND TRANSFF/Rb. Officers of the New. Zealand Staff Corps ' ,-have-been invited by circular letter from General Headquarters to urate if they are willing to retire from the service on .^payiAent-of compensation, it they are willing io accept transfer to other State or if they are prepared to join the British or Indian Army. Mr. G. Mitohell (Wellington Soutii) asked in the House of Representatives that the 'Minister of Defence should giVe additional information on these points. It was not fair to ask officers to retire with compensation without telling them what the compensation would be. TUe'ofllcers would like to know if there were any vacancites in the British or Indian Army.

_The. Minister of Defence (Sir Heaton Rhodes) replied that he had just received a cablegram stating that there were no vacancies in the Indian Army. The ordinary -compensation on retirement was one month's ;pay for each year of service, the rato of. pay being the Average for the three years preceding retirement. But the compensation to the officers had not yet been considered by the ttovernmeht. Tho Minister suggested that the question should be placed on the Order Paper. HOTEL ACCOMMODATION A SUGGESTION TO MR. MASSEY. ■'■ The suggestion that in. view of the dearth of accommodation iln the cities facilities should be given for the rebuilding of hotels condemned by the licensing committees was made in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon by Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton), who addressed a question on the subject ( to the Prisne Minister. Certain places, he said, had been condemned becauso they had been adjudged by the committees to bo out of date, but where possible facilities should bo given by the licensing committees to have them rebuilt. Mr. Massey said that ho would , be -very glad to answer tho question, but it was one which he would have to refer to bib colleagues, as it was a policy • matter. He jvould give a reply later if ■ the question was placed on the Order Paper. ' ' . AERIAL MAIL SERVICES The Postmaster-General (Hon. J. G. Coates) told the House of Representatives yesterday that the Government had not yet adopted a policy for the development of aerial mail services. Until tho •policy had been fixed, nothing would bo. done. HeTioped to be able to announce booh what mail services would be undertaken by way of trial. Tho matter was to be brought before Cabinet shortly.

■ COST OF LIVING PETITIONS Five petitions bearing in the aggregate 5G59 signatures, and praying for Government action to reduco the cost of the necessaries of life, were presented to .Parliament yesterday. ' They wero 'de.soribed as being from the women of .Ch'ristchurch. The threo Christchurch City members and the members for Avon and Lyttelton each presented one of them.