The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 29th, 1924. SOLDIER SETTLERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 October 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 29th, 1924. SOLDIER SETTLERS.

lx connection with rejnescntatiiins brought under his notice of a soldier settler who refused to sign the demand of the Department of Lands that he would not pay private debts in priority to his obligation to the Clown, the lion. .Minister of hands lias replied that a mortgagor is liable under the personal covenants of his mortgage inr any dolieieiicy insulting from the realisation of bis security, and before a loss can lie definitely written nil', in accordance with the provisions of the Public Revenues Act. the Controller and Amlitoi-Crneral insists upon being furnished aitli a definite statement as to the means and resources of the defaulting mortgagor. I'p till recently, it had been the practice of the department to require the Land Board, through the Commissioner, to make a reasonable investigation as to the ability or otherwise of soldiers to make good losses resulting from the realisation of securities, and the tecoimuen(lations of the hoard were in due course

approved liy the Alinister. The Audit Department, however, maintains-and apparently lightly an maintains —that the authority to write off any loss is i out rolled hy the Public Revenues Art and regulations thereunder, and that the only meads hv which losses can lie definitely written oil' would he hy consent of the Controller and Auditor-fleneral, with the ratification of Parliament, through the Appropiiation Act. It was also laid down liy the Audit Department that, before authority could lie issued to write olf Josses, it was necessary to adopt one or other of the following courses:

cial position; (2) Investigation by the police; (A) Investigation by Crown solicitor. Talcing all things into consideration, it was considered that less publicity would he given to a soldier’s affairs hy his submitting a declaration las to his ]X)sition. In cases, however, I where it i« fairly evident that fraud has lieen committed, investigations are made by the police or the Crown solicitor. Regarding the complaint that has hecn made that the form of declaration ties a man down to the extent, that, liy signing it. he would he preI vented from paying his living and per-

sonal accounts. I have to advise that priority should not he given to unsecured ccrditors over the secured creditor (the Crown) in respect of debts | incurred in connection with the farm. The term ‘unsecured debt’ excludes debts of a personal nature, such nr debts incurred in connection with living expenses while on the farm. Audit has laid it down that payment ol moneys due to unsecured creditors in connection with a. farm shall not he given preference over the secured creditor (the Crown). Possibly clause 8 of the declaration is not sufficiently clear so as to exempt debts for living expenses while on the farm, hut the

form of declaration is sufficiently eleai to indicate that a soldier is not prevented from discharging debts incurred subsequent to bis leaving tbc farm from his subsequent earnings. The Min-

ister states it is proposed to introduce shortly, enabling tbe Minister, on the recommendation of the Land Board, to "'rite off losses incurred through realisation of securities, but it must necessarily follow that a thorough investigation must bo made into the man’s affairs before a land board can submit a. recommendation. This is only business and the State must he assured that losses are genuine.