Returned Troopers.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 698, 18 December 1902, Page 4

Returned Troopers.

Ml* DUNCAN’S tREI'LY TO MR WITHEFOIiD. Tiio Hon. T. Duncan on Saturday telegraphed to Mr J. 11. Witheford, M.H.H.: —“ In reply to your telegram, I am pushlog land settlement, and am ono with you in endeavoring to open up land for settlement. Ho returned troopers, you will remember that at interview with deputa- ’ tion, in reply to my statement that to provide land for all returned troopers would bo too big an order. You said it was rnoro than probable that not more than GO or 70 men would be eligible for settlement. ' Steps were at once taken to set apart a special block of good land as close to the Main Trunk lino as possible. As early as the middle of November a block of SOOO acres had been suryeyed into 86 sections, ranging"from 100 to BJO acres, and the Commissioner was instructed to forward printed forms to all applicants, asking for answers to questions as to what means they had to settlo on the land. After halloo for the 36 sections, each man was to be notified that he was to deposit half-year’s rent, to select their own secretary, and ballot among themselves, If there is a largo number of unsatisfied applicants more land may jet be set aside. —(Signed) T. i". Dl.ncan, Minister of Lands, Wellington.” Mr Witheford subsequently wired as follows :—“lion. T. Y. Duncan, Minister for Lands, Wellington.—Land Commissioner most attentive and zealous, but lie cannot make land nor satisfy the maximum of applications with the minimum of sections, unless by a miracle a la the parable of the loaves and fishes. J cannot understand jour reference to my limiting number applicants to 60 or 70, because on Uctober sth and oth I advised Government of 160 applicants for land, and sent you the list of names, and on j October tio I sent your Department fur- ! tlier names, making a total of 236, for j whom, by middle of November, you survey j 36 sections only, as if that would satisfy j the earth hunger of 236 returned troopers, I while the tide of intending settlement still rolls up, until there are a total of 500 j applicants. Names and addresses of 160, i of whom 1 have supplied to your depart- j ment, but still the sections ofiered remain at 36 1 What are they among so many 7 Y'our telegram of 12th ends : •If there is a large number of unsatisfied applicants, more land may be set aside,’ but as the lowest number” of applicants within the prescribed time and conditions was 295 on the oth December, deducting the 30 successful applications, it still leaves 259 unsatisfied applicants. I again quote the words Cf ! IIG l’lhne Minister of this loyal j colonj’, as follows: —’I repeat, sir, that those who have gone to South Africa . are the nation’s care; so far as the j Government are concerned the nation ] will not be grudging.’ —(Signed), J. H. Witheford.”