FOR THE SOLDIERS

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3244, 26 March 1943, Page 5

FOR THE SOLDIERS

LAND SETTLEMENT PLAN

FARMERS CONCERNED

LOCAL COMMITTEES URGED

“That the union request branches to set up committees to co-operate with the Government in the Land Settlement Scheme for ex-servicemen and that an assurance be obtained that the recommendations of committees regarding value, area, tenure and other matters of importance will be adhered to,” was a remit from the Kerepeehi branch to Tuesday’s meeting of the Northern Thames Sub-Pro-vincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union.

Mr A. E. Robinson, Auckland secretary, explained that a Rehabilitation Board had been set up in Wellington and was in constant touch with the Government.

Mr T. Lynch (Kerepeehi) said that there was a vast area of unimproved land on the Hauraki Plains and it was most likely that much of it would be

opened up to rehabilitate soldiers. He did not want to see the mistakes of the last war repeated again when the land given the men had often been too small and too high priced. The only way unimproved land on the Plains could be valued was by advice from local settlers. This was the reason for the Kerepeehi remit. Entitled to Freehold Dealing with the question of freehold, Mr Lynch said that it was stated that the Government was not in favour of granting this, but in his opinion any soldier who had to go and fight for his country had the right to expect freehold property when he settled down again.

He also criticised 1 the method of granting loans to farmers, urging that any soldier returning to New Zealand after the war who wanted to settle on the land should not have an order taken on his dairy cheque for his interest payments.

“If we can trust him to go and fight —-and they are doing a good job too —we should trust him to pay his interest when he settles down again,” said Mr Lynch, concluding by saying that all he wanted was a fair deal for the men when they returned. Mr H. S. Curtis (Colville) urged that returned soldiers should be put on improved land, interest free for a time. He pointed out that many returned men were not fit enough to break in a rough farm. They Knew The Land

Mr E. M. Minifie (Whenuakite) spoke in support of the remit, point-

ing out how much more able local committees would be in fixing the correct nature of any land the Government proposed to purchase for soldiers. . k “Men who have farmed m a district for, say, 20 years know the nature of the land: better than any other valuer,” concluded Mr Minifie.