A SOLDIER SETTLEMENT

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 49, 21 November 1921, Page 6

A SOLDIER SETTLEMENT

RENT REMISSION AND REVALUATION PETITIONS DISCUSSED The following report was made to tha House of Representatives on Friday by the Lands Committee, after considering a petition praying for remission of rent and for revaluation of sections in th« Clifton soldier settlement. Otago. "The committee has no recommendation to make, but is of opinion that every encouragement (should be gi\xm to the settlers who are at present in occupation of sections, that tho sections which are not at present occupied should be utilised to the best advantage in accordance with local conditions, and that the matter of revalution be held oyer till conditions become normal." Referring, as it did, to a soldier settlement, the report was the subject of some discussion. Mr. T. W. Rhodes (Thames) said that the petition was not from soldier settlers, but irom some residents in the district who asked that the land should be revalued with a view to inducing the public to occupy it. Only a few sections were occupied by soldiers. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. T. M. Wilford) wished to Know why the land had been purchased. Whether the Land Purchase Board had at first declined to buy; whether a strong letter had beeti written by someone, and whether the purchase was a consequence of what had been written. The country was entitled to know what properties purchased by the Government for soldier settlement had been bought too dear, and were going to prove a loss. Mr, D. Jones (Kaiapoi) said evidence had been given to tne committee that the land had been valued by two men who knew the locality well, and that the Government had bought at less than that valuation. It appeared that the soldiers* trouble in this ease was due to the fact that they were inexperienced, that the areas they held were too small, and that the land was of a nature which required the occupier to wait some time for a good return. The Minister of Lands (the Hon. D. H. Guthrie) said that in 1916, when there was a great demand for land, the property in question was one of those offered to the Government. The Government obtained the services of two of the most competent valuers in the South Island. The valuation was Jill per acre, and the Government bought at .£lO. However, the land was cut up into too small areas, and the men who went on the estate were inexperienced. The balance of the estate had been thrown open for civilian settlement. He believed that the unoccupied sections would go off quite well, and that the Government would not have to face a loss upon the purchase. , Dr. Thacker (Christchurch East): ’AYhat about refunding the soldiers their losses, where they have been frozen out of properties? Mr. Guthrie: “Refund our own money There are verv few soldiers who lost their own money.". Mr. Guthrie added that the price had been cheap as values were going in 1916. Tho Government intended to improve the unoccupied part of tho estate in order to make it more suitable for cutting up.