LAND FOR SOLDIERS

Evening Star, Issue 24330, 20 October 1942, Page 6

LAND FOR SOLDIERS

COMPREHENSIVE SCHEME MEN TO BeIuLLY TRAINED (Special.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 20. While stressing the importance of the rehabilitation of returned soldiers even before victory is won, Mr Cullen gave a clear and comprehensive outline of what is proposed regarding land settlement in the House yesterday, He said that during the last war and after the war was over a large number of returned men were placed on the land, and it turned out that a number of them wore not suited for farm work. Mr Goosman; Weren’t the failures worth the successes? Mr Cullen: They have been a great deal of help to the Rehabilitation Board ; there is no doubt about that. A returned man should not be debarred from making application for land, Mr Cullen continued. These would be left in the hands of local committees in the men’s own districts to davise as to the capabilities of applicants. If it were found they were men who could go on the land without further training the onus would be upon the Rehabilitation Council and Board to get land for these men. If the Selection Committee considered an applicant required more training or assistance, or even total training in farming, he would then be sent to a training farm or to the property at Tauranga. Mr Cullen said that the Wairarapa farm would be used for training men in dairy farming, sheep farming, wool classing, and the raising of pigs and poultry. The Tauranga farm would bo used principally for training men for dairy farms, including the handling of a few sheep. A fair amount of agricultural work would be taught, and possibly poultry raising. When a farm was established in the South Island it would bo principally for training in diversified farming. The best land was required, Mr Cullen said. There were .many areas in the Dominion which could he easily cut up. In some places there were areas not being fully utilised, and it was the responsibility of the Government to sec that such land was put to full use. This applied to properties owned by Maoris, the Crown, and by Europeans. Some of the best river flats in New Zealand were growing rushes and weiwoi. It was also necessary where men wore placed ou the land that they should be able to get an immediate income. Men in training would bo paid for the time they were under instruction. It was the intention of the board to develop the land, returned men being employed and later placed on the land, so that they could get an income from the time of occupation. In stressing the fact that exorbitant prices would not be paid for land, Mr Cullen said that land in Hawke’s Bay had been offered the Government at £136 an acre, and the whole property would only run 30 cows. No soldier could make a living with land at that price. Assistance would be given to returned soldiers for acquisition of land up to £3,500, Mr Cullen added, and for stock and chattels up to £1,500, making the maximum of £5,000, about £2,000 more than was given to returned soldiers after the last war.

Mr A. S. Sutherland strongly urged the right of returned servicemen to the freehold of the land which they were asked to protect. These men should not be settled under the small farms development scheme, as this was only introduced to cure unemployment. If the (Rehabilitation Board took care in the selection of its local committees all the difficulties over land values would be overcome, but one problem to bo tackled was that the men would return tired of city life and wish .to go farming, though they had no experience. They should be given training on the State’s development of lands scheme. Mr Richards declared that those who called for the freehold should not overlook the very small percentage of freeholders who really held a free title. After 16 years of Governments whichprofessed to represent the farmer, a report was presented to Parliament disclosing that 90 per cent, of the farming community was bankrupt. Mr Goosman: What was the percentage of leaseholders? Mr Richards added that all the farmers got for their freehold ivas that the banks and the capitalists got away with the results.

for Sutherland; They doubled production in that time.