The Hokitika Guradian FRIDAY, JULY 14th, 1922. AN URGENT NECESSITY.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 July 1922, Page 2

The Hokitika Guradian FRIDAY, JULY 14th, 1922. AN URGENT NECESSITY.

Osk of tlie matters that must reeei'e the attention of the Government at a very early date is t at of totiside airn of the position of many of the soldier settlers, whose financial troubles are causing widespread misery. The subject has been discussed freely in Parliament during the last lew nays, and the Minister of hands, has says an exchange, premised to make a statement within a few days, and this will he awaited with general interest on the part of the public and with anxiety h.v the soldier settlers. The view seems to he gaining ground that part of the solution of the problem is to he found in a revaluation of holdings. Me say “the problem” because hardly a single intelligent person in or out of Parliament fails to recognise that- there is a problem, and one that is Itotli serious and urgent. The difficulties are. however. not of a kind that ean he \or> easily removed. The ex-soldiers arc settled on varying conditions. In some cases owners of land showed a commendable patriotic spirit and sold to the Government on terms based. not upon the ephemeral fictitious “values of the war-time boom peril si, but upon n fairer and necessurv lower estimate of average producing values. But in too many other eases the Government purchased badly, not to say recklessly, paying to vendors far more than the laiid was worth for the purposes of profitable farming. Settlers on land - so obtained fim! themselves cruelly handicapped hv over-capitalisation, and ' vo greatly fear this class is in the majority. Bevaluation ought, therefore, to he carried out according to circumstances, and one difficulty will be to devise a scheme that will he effective and immediate, and that- is likely to he carried out in an equitable manner. Whatever the means adopted to afford relief where it is needed and whatever the national loss involved the people will agree that justice to soldier settlers is the first duty of Parliament. We apprehend that tlie Government, realising that revaluation means nothing less than a writing-down of its own bad purchases, may he disposed to minimise the facts of the situation. To avoid miscarriages of justice in this direction " - - think the Minister of Lands ought to he absolutely frank. He ought to give the House a lot of information of a kind which up to the presont has been withhold and refused. Ho should he required by the House to show the full extent of the failure of his policy—that is the magnitude of the handicaps imposed upon the soldier settlers, and the magnitude of the losses to the taxpayers which would or will he entailed in the removal of those losses. A complete return is needed, in fact, of the transactions whereby men who fought for King and CVmntrv have horn Jlfaced

upon, tlie land. We advocate toe p.oliuction of details in respect oi all toe individual estates poren-sed tor closer settlement, snowing tne aiea acquired and u 'e area .settled the difference between the valuations tor taxation and the price paid to toe vendor, the annual liabilities lor capital cost and money advanced, and against this tne annual return to t-e St„te hy way of inpayments, interest and reins. Paili.iment suould he told how many and w 11.. t |„r eentage oi the soldier settles ip e in d.flic.ltics. Only with the acquirement of un-w ledge can mem he. s t.. e H-.u.-e ie-lise-tne true strength of the position, the mots of the case, and iiciii,e the amities of the problem w,.ieh it is t-.eir task to solve. Will the Government rise to tlie occasion ? it may requue courage to confess e.rors and admit failuie, but the effects of tlie soldier settlement policy arc

unquestionably disastrous, and it. is probable, whether this aspect of the matter be important or otherwise, tlu.t the Government would make a far bettor impression on the country hy* a candid confession than it can by* try’ing to keep abve t-e delusion that its policy of soldier settlement has been cmried out on sound principles.