AUSTRALIAN

Hokitika Guardian, 25 August 1922, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN

Australian and n.z. cahlf. association. X.S.W. COAL DISPUTE SYDNEY, August 24. The Coai Tribunal tonlay resumed hearing the application of the coal pi omieturs for a reduction in wages Mr Baddeley. miners’ representative, no'? Sng t''b^dudUu^ m i" to a Ss&ar-ajft* would not accept SOLDIER. SETTLEMENTS. SYDNEY, August 23. The X.S.W. Assembly has adopted a. motion to appoint a Royal Commission to enquire into the soldier settlements, with a view to adjusting the grievances. These grievances are weespread and acute. The Minister r Lands stated that some ot the Government estates purchased at great expense remained unoccupied. In otne. cases, where blocks were never confirmed, advances were made without seem - itv although money was available r.r a. large number of soldiers were desirous of settling. He said he now refused to purchase any more estates, because the system was unsound, the. principle was wrong, and in many cases it was impossible for the men to make a success of farms . He admitted that New South Wales had arranged to spend 17* millions sterling on settlements, of which sum the Commonwealth Government would provide 12* millions sterling. Already £9,826,000 of the Commonwealth advances and £1,861,000 of the State’s money had been expended to settle 7025 soldiers. Numbers of these however, had abandoned their holdings to a large extent.

The cause of the unsatisfactory results, he said, was the fact that the only qualification that had been required was a. military discharge.

Many of the men were without any knowledge or experience of country life; were broken in health and were lacking aptitude for the calling. They were placed on the land with debts of thousands of pounds over their heads. The whole system urgently demanded reorganisation. Ho said that 1380 soldiers still remained to be settled,