DOMING EVENTS. Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, NOV. 29th 1917. NEED FOR SOLDIER SETTLEMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 November 1917, Page 2

DOMING EVENTS.

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, NOV. 29th 1917. NEED FOR SOLDIER SETTLEMENTS.

I'hk position referred to by our Wellngton correspondent yesterday regaraing the case of a returned soldier who sought an outlet for his energies on the land, call to mind that while the Government is seeking to place men m expensive and impossible land in he North Island and elsewhere nothing whatever is being done towards establishing Soldiers jsettjlemeints ion tlie Weft Coast. Now that the whirl of the session is past, and Ministers will have some leisure for purely domestic matters, the time should be opportune for the people i tl authority here to again approach Government, and m-ess once more the claims of Westland with its great area of Crown Lands upon the attention of the head authorities. Some months ago when a special move made in this matter the Government authorised an officer to visit Westland and inspect certain proposals. 1 luit officer has not carried out his instructions. It would appear that in I Lilt as in other departmental matters wo are back to the bad old days of Government by under-Secretarios which the late Mr. Seddon had the courage to break up. Certainly in more Departments than one, Minsters directions appear to be as futile as com-

mands by the man in the street. Instructions are given, but wonderful to be said, they are not performed. The country owes so much to its soldier citizens—we owe everything in foot—‘ for , they are the wall -between—that nothing the country can do is too much an effort or too great a sacrifice for the people as a whole to do through. the Governments in placing these men on the land. But the conditions must not be as stupid as in the case mentioned by our correspondent yesterday The soldiers must have more than a reasonble, chance of making good. The high prices of products is inflating land values in the North Island particularly just now, and they are soaring

to groat heights. When the slump comes later it will lie a serious matter to the meoi now being nut on the land to find their areas depreciating by pounds per acre. Here in Westland, in the contingency of a slump land values are not likely to drop very materially and the position would not be very critical to the soldiers if they posesssed holdings. On the contrary land values must continue to have an uplifting tendency from now on in Westland because of the improving knowledge of pastoral prospects, and for the great impetus to he given the district by the near approach of the completion of the Otira tunnel. There is every reason why the Government should ho 1 urged to establish settlements where the future has assured stability as is the case here. Hie attention to the district should be insisted oh as a 1 right to the place, a justice to the 1 soldiers and a business proposition to * the Government to increase the earn- 1 ing power of their own crown estate. * The subject is one which should he press ; ed till satisfactory action results and I 1 the matter is of such general import- j { anee that it would not he too much to I ‘ ask a Minister to visit the district and < have the request poured into his per- ( 1 sonal ear. ' £

The congratulations extended to Mr. Ward yesterday upon his election to the honorable post of County Chairman were well deserved, because they had been well earned. Mr. Ward has been a moniber of the Westland County Council for some nine years now, and has proved a very useful and solid mem her. He can be regarded as one of the safe and responsible members of tlio Council, and as such the ratepayers havo ono in whom they ca'n repose their confidence with an- extra degree of satisfaction. Mr. Ward as a farmer, represents a farming community, where with very small beginning, ail extension of the dairying industry was ventured upon. Mr. Ward has been the first and only Chairman of that flourish ing factory, which surprised the Government experts by its results. No doubt the safe guidance and secure judgment of the Chairman contributed to the degree of success achieved, and with the same qualities to assist in fulfiling the duties of County Chairman, Mr. Ward will have an extended field for his useful work. The Council for some time, in fact for a very long time, ha's made the office a rolling one. Mr. Ward’s “turn’ might have come a little sooner, but having come, the trust can he reposed in him with a' very satisfactory confidence. The proceedings of the Council run with a degree of smoothness that is creditable all round,, and under Mr. Word’s guidance the machinery of this important district body should prove to he particularly adaptable to all requirements.