DISAPPOINTED SETTLERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 March 1921, Page 4

DISAPPOINTED SETTLERS.

(Lyttelton Times). The largest amount paid by the Gov- !l eminent for a single estate for soldier a settlement 1918-19 was £69,805, the purchase price of the Mangateparu 0 Settlement, of .4363 acres. Sixteen ‘ po,nnds an acre was paid for this land, ' and in due course it was cut up and 1 placed in the occupation of a number of soldier settlers. For a. variety of rcn-‘ 1 sons these settlers have not met with ( the success which they deserved. An Auckland newspaper describes their j troubles as follows: .Many of the soldier settlers at Mangateparu are in difficulties. Water is very scarce and many bores , are dry. The cows cannot assimilate the pasture on many of the farms owing to*thc prevalence of the old sheep fescue with which the farms | were clothed when the estate was settled two years ago. Disease among the tows is rampant. Many of them have died and many ’hioro are in a serious condition. Figs also have been attacked in a mysterious manner. and the mortality among them is heavy. At a recent meetinag of the settlers it wa« stated that a veterinary surgeon from the Department of Agriculture had diagnosed the trouble with the cows to be due to the lack of phosphates in the ground. In discussion it was disclosed that last year these settlers obtained a postponement of their liability for rent. The opinion was expressed that the Government had put the settlers on the land at too high a price*. Sonp. settlors suggested an application for revaluation; others were in favour of aw application that rent should lie remitted for the first three years, and the arrears added to capital liability. Finally a deputation was appointeda to wait upon tli<> Auckland Hoard in regard to the matter. Wo have outlined these facts because they have an important bearing on the Government’s soldier settlement policy - a policy which is still being pursued, and for which four and a half million pounds have recently been raised by methods only too well remembered by the taxpayers. The significant feature of the. Mangateparu revelations, apart from their disclosure of the very poor carrying capacity ot land lor which a relatively high price was paid, is the fact that rent for last year was postponed. Had the conditions on thi settlement not become desperate we should not have learned of this interest mg circumstance. The incident gives additional point to our request for information concerning the return which these properties, proudly claimed by Mr Massey as gilt-odged investments, equivalent to a. reduction ot the national debt, an* giving to the State. It would be interesting to know in how many instances in addition to Tiraumca. Erina. Hcparda, Tiza and now Mangateparu. concerning which there

has been souk' puhlicity, rents have been postponed, and applications made for revaluation. AVe are not bigoted enough to deny that a certain pemmtago of sill'll eases is almost certain to he met with in any large scheme of land settlement, however carefully purchases may have been conducted. But in this case purchases have been eonducted under circumstances which called forth pregnant warnings year after year from the Government’s most experienced and competent officers. If those officers were wrong and the Government was right, the present time seems opportune for a frank and lul 1 statement of the conditions of the (in-

winces of thi‘ settlements and of t.l»e settlers. This is preferable on any grounds to piecemeal revelations of the sort which are trickling out day niter day. Of course if the general condition of ad’a irs in connection with the settlement is so bad that it appeal’s the safest policy to conceal them as long as possible, we can appreciate the desire of the Government to keep the community in the dark.