SOLDIER SETTLERS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 89, 12 October 1934, Page 11

SOLDIER SETTLERS

HELP FEOM THE STATE

LOSS OF OVER £7,000,000

Some of the problems affecting returned soldiers who have been settled on the land by the Government wero discussed in the House of Representatives today during consideration of the estimates of tho Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Account. Mr. W. Nash (Labour, Hutt) asked whether the Minister could give the exact amount that had been lost since the fund had been in operation. The Minister of Lands (tho Hon. E. A. Ransom) said that he did not have the" exact figures, but he thought that it was somewhere about £7,000,000. Mr. A. M. Samuel (Independent, Thames) asked the Minister to give con. sideration to those soldiers who had not received a revaluation of their land because they had invested their own or borrowed money in their holdings. The problem was a difficult one, but the men deserved help from the Crown. Mr. J. A. Nash (Government, Palmerston North) said that now and again returned soldiers vacated their land, and there were other soldiers and other people waiting to get on to the land. Members were frequently approached on the matter, and he suggested that the Minister should supply members from time to time with a list of land available for settlement. He thought that the time had arrived for a reconsideration of the orders which had been given against the dairy farmers' cheques. These orders were irrevocable, and with tho present price of butterfat the farmers involved were suffering hardships. CASES ON THEIR MERITS. In reply, Mr. Ransom said that, those soldiers who had made private arrangements for finance were being assisted by the Department and the land boards. Each ease was considered on its merits. Mr. Ransom said that unless the orders on the milk cheques were irrevocable they were absolutely useless. At tho same time the Department was doing everything possible to make the terms of the orders as reasonable as possible. Mr. A. Stuart (Government, Rangitikei) said all settlers should receive the same consideration. There were some people who were shirking their responsibilities and getting more concessions than the men who were doing their; best to pay their way. Mr. W. J. Poison (Government, Stratford) said that those who had successfully worked' their own way were often unsympathetic with those who needed help. Every' endeavour should be made to help the returned soldiers to whom the country had made promises.

Mr. R. A. Wright (Independent, Wellington Suburbs) said that there were some men who were on the land and who would never make a success of it. It gould be far better to transfer them to some other occupation.

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. M. J. Savage) said that if the Minister was treating each case on its merits, that should satisfy tho House.

The Estimates were passed,