SOLDIER SETTLERS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4533, 28 February 1923, Page 4

SOLDIER SETTLERS.

POSITION IN N.S.W. A BIG LOSS. One of the greatest difficulties confronting the New South Wales Government is the question of goldier settlements. 'When the Fuller Ministry came into office the affairs of this Department were in a chaotic condition. Since then considerable improvement has been effected, but the root causes —over capitalisation and unsuitability of settlers —remain, and the Government is still in a quandary as to the best policy to be pursued, not only in the interests of the State, but of the soldier settlers themselves. A sum of approximately £14,000,000 has been expended up to the present on soldier settlers,, and about 8000 returned men have been placed in possession of farms, etc. UNSUITED TO FARMING. It is claimed that of the £14,000,000 at least £5,000,00'0 has been lost, because of land bejng purchased at prices higher than its value, loss of stock, depreciation of plant and machinery, and the failure of many of the settlers, and it is further claimed that of the 8000 settlers approximately 3000 of them are unsuited to farming. It, is known that some of the members of the Cabinet who have made a close study of the position believe that the .only remedy is writing down the cost of the settlements and the losses, and putting off their farms all those soldiers who, after a fair trial, have shown themselves to be unsuited to the work, A number of Ministers favour this policy, but it 13‘ extremely doubtful that it will be adopted, as it is argued that the inevitable clamour and agitation following upon such action would be more than any Government could withstand.