SOLDIERS’ LANDS

Hokitika Guardian, 17 September 1920, Page 1

SOLDIERS’ LANDS

TRAFFICKING IN FREEHOLD,

(Our Parliamentary Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, Sept. 16 A paragraph appearing in the annual report of the Lands and Survey Department, stating that a number' Of returnied soldiers had been applying for the freehold of their holdings under the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act, before the ten 5 years u’hicli Hiey were required to' occupy them had elapsed, was mentioned in the House Of Representative's' this afternoon, by Mr New* - man (Manawatu) who addressed a • estion on the subject to the Minister ‘ for Lands. Mr Newman asked the Minister whether in view of th'e importance; of preventing these lands from falling into the hands'of civilians again, and the danger of soldiers being tempted to sell out for the prices at present ruling, lie would be careful to’ see that in none but very urgent cases this was allowed. \ Mr Guthrie said that the policy of

' the Government was steadily against the soldiers selling their lands before . tliev had held them' for the ten years. In cases where a man had taken tip land's and then found that he was not able to carry on, he was allowed to relinquish it by surrendering or transfer- : ring it, but the Department took good cate that it went to another soldier. They had had applications for the freehol'd with a view to sale, but this had ; been discouraged by every means in their power. They were taking every case to see that the freehold of these lands did not pass into the hands _ of people other than soldiers. There had been a case'where a man was in a position to make a very great profit out of a sale of his holding. There was one where a sum of £6,000 might have been realised. In cases of the kind, the proceedings were stopped.