Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1919. SOLDIERS AND SETTLE MENA.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 August 1919, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1919. SOLDIERS AND SETTLE MENA.

Tiijb Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. I\ Masse}’) lias just made an intcresting statement in regard to the subject of discharged soldiers’ land settlement and gave a review of the operations of the Department up to date. Mr Massey stated that since his return to New Zealand he had noticed various criticisms suggesting that the Government was not displaying keen activity in placing soldiers on the land. Much of this criticism did not give sufficient regard to the fact that much of the j Crown land now available was poor J country, which could not be regarded | as being suitable for soldier settlement, j Another point was the inclination of I tho soldiers themselves for particular ! classes of land. Mr Massey pointed out j that up to 1916 there was practically i no demand for land by the returned 1 soldiers, owing to there being so few * men who had returned up to March 31st. of (hat year. At t.he end.of March 1917, however, 33*1 soldiers had been settled on the land, land by the same date in 1918, the number had increased j to 638. By July 31st last, no fewer ■ than 2057 men had been settled. : These figures showed that 1419 men were placed on the land hy the Department over a period of sixteen months, quite irrespective of financial authorisations to 3332 soldiers during the same period, ft had been stated that the soldiers settled hy the Department were in substitution of ordinary settlement, and that they would not

therefore serve to increase production. In reply, the Prime Minister pointed out that 644 men had been placed on 570, 591 acres of virgin Crown lands which were now being brought into cultivation, whilst 625 men had been placed on subdivided estates, where the more intense cultivation was naturally making the land produce very much more than it did before subdivision. Under the provisions, of the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act,' 1917, which enabled a soldier to purchase and improve property, it might happen that production was not assisted in every case. In several instances two or more soldiers were purchasing a single property under tile provisions of this Act. It might be pointed out that even where the soldier replaced an experienced farmer he went into the property with capital provided by the Government for stock etc. and was in an ever better position to make tile section produce to its maximum capacity than the original owner, who, in turn, with the capital provided by tile transfer was in a position to take up unimproved land. Regarding tile settlement of unimproved land, Mr Massey, pointed out that the whole of the

Crown lands of the Dominion had been reported upon and scheduled, and the remaining suitable blocks would be subdivided and settled at tile earliest possible date. Up to the present, one hundred private estates bad been purchased for subdivision for soldiers (ex- ’ eluding Native blocks), forty-eight of which were at present being surveyed and roaded prior to being offered for 1 selection. In addition, thirty-seven private properties had been acquired by the Government for individual soldiers, 1 or groups of soldiers, under the provisions of the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act, 1917. At the present date , there were 408 sections, aggregating ! 152,910 acres of good Crown and settlement lands, open for selection, and

i;n addition thpre were over 30,000 acres of poorer land subdivided and roaded for selection, should a demand arise. The Department was also withholding 10,000 acres of good scrub and bush lands in the Mangonui county, which had also been subdivided and prepared for settlement in case it i(ho|uld be required for co-operative work. In conclusion, Mr Massey, said lie wished £o emphasise the fact that it was liis earnest desire, as well as that of his colleague, the Minister of Lands, and the officers of his Department, to do everything possible to hasten the settlement of returned men on the land, and at the same time, in the interests of production, to bring about as far as possible the opening up of remaining Crown and native lands and the subdivision of large holdings. He had already publicly stressed the great necessity of increasing production in order to meet the heavy war impost that had been placed on the Dominion.

Large areas of land could not be allowed 1 to remain unproductive, and determined and sustained efforts, by legislation and otherwise, must be made to bring such land into profitable cultivation. Ho was extremely desirous of providing financial assistance to bring in the swamp, pumice, gum and dry lands of the Dominion, but, of course, a policy of this kind could only be carried out with the approval of Parliament in voting adequate funds for the purpose.