ADVANCES TO SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 305, 18 September 1920, Page 8

ADVANCES TO SOLDIERS

NO UNNECESSARY DELAY , TAKING PLACE

THE OUTSTANDING APPLICATIONS

A question regarding applications for advances under the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act was put by Mr. G. Mitchell (Wellington South) yesterday afternoon to the Minister of Lands. Mr. Mitchell asked whether applications 'for advances under the Act' applied for as 'early as March and up to August had Bot yet been disposed of, whether be was aware that options for property were continually lapsing before the Department took action, and whether the delay was caused by the shortage of funds or of staff.

Tho Minister of Lands (Hon. D. H. Guthrie) said that he understood. that this question emanated from the Waiiganui Returned Soldiors' Association. As he had stated before, all applications up to the end of June had been cleared oft in accordance with instructions that had been sent to the head office to forward applications: in cirder of priority. At the timo that, he made that state-, ment he was receiving applications for the month of July, and that was why ho had made that statement. Because of that lie knew that all applications for June were cleared off. It must be understood, however, that there wero always outstanding applications. The Department had for some time been discouraging applications for the purchase of houses, since the money was-needed for more pressing matters, which wero also more in the interests of the soldiers. The statement that applications had been dealt with up to tho end of June referred t) head office business, and had no reference to.district offices/. said that there were applications outstanding which had been coming in since last March. '. If there wero they mre applications for the purchase of houses that would not be entertained. It was a; fact that tho Government was'not encouraging tho purchase of houses, _ for that tended merely to raise the prices to the soldiers and everybody else. What they were doing was to encourage the purchase of land and the erection of houses There were exceptions to the rule, however. Only that day he had sanctioned tho purchase of a house because it was an urgent case, that of a married man whose wife waß just coming out of a private hospital and had nowhere to go. That had been sanctioned' as an exceptional case.

There was no delay so far as he knew that conld ho avoided. In no case did they allow any delay where the money •was available arid everything' was,satisfactory. The administration of the Department must remain in the hands of the Department. The Department was responsible to the country for it. They could not allow themselves to bo driven by any outside influence. It was tlm duty and tie intention of tho Government to do every thins that was possiblo for tho returned soldier, but it must ba done on business lines. FINANCING THE RAILWAYS -"A VERY SERIOUS MATTER," SATS MR. MASSEY. • Mr. Massey yesterday told the House something of the demands that were being made upon the public purse, particularly in connection with; the railways. He said that tho increase in the wages and salaries of men employed by tho Railway Department amounted to nearly ,£BOO,OOO. To be more exact, it was .£790,000. He expected that £100,000 would 1)0 spent in assisting the superannuated public servants. Not all of this amount would go to tho railways, hut it mado tho total .£300,000. If be adopted a proposal to provide free railway travel for chlildren up to the age of seven, that would mean another £150,000. Even if ho made a deduction of .£50,000 from tho whole, it still came to .£1,000,000. Mr Massey did not (as he etated clearly in'a debate reposed elsewhere)_ favour tho' granting of railway concessions to children up to the age of seven. But iw desired to impress upon the House the size of tho present demands, and.the total to which the suggested concessions would bring them. . ... , ~ „ Twenty-five railway engines that mo Government was bringing to thiscounrrv would cost £12,550 each r moro than See the amount that engines cost in pre-war days, Mr. Massey proceeded The Vunning of tho railways and the financ- ™ of them was a very serious matter. He* asked member to consider their aeKnonsibilitv to tt'e country and not trj Ess the Finance Minister and the Government. PURE SEED BILL STILL IN PROCESS OE DRAFTING. Early in tho session Mr. W. T Jennings (Waitomo) asked tho Minister ot Apiculture to tako into consideration tho urgent need of having a Pure feeed Bill placed before Parliament. Thp Minister then promised tbat ho would havo a Bill prepared.' Mr. Jonnings reminded the Minister yesterday of this, and that though this was the third month or tho session there was no sign of the Bill. Ho asked the Minister if ho would have the Bill brought down this session. The Minister eaid that- tho promise that he had mado would be kept. The appearance of the Bill had been delayed because tho law draftsman had been kept busy with' more important work, and also because a Pore Seed Bill was a very difficult one to handle. It was nt present in the hands of tho law draftsman, and would be brought in w soon as it was ready. NATIVE TRUSTEE EILL The' Native Trustee Bill, ' providing that a Native trustee shall bo appointed . to handle tho Native business at prepeut handled .by tho Public Trustee was yesSy re/d a> second time in tie Uppe* youiA and was referred to the Native Affairs Committee.