THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is Incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY. "Public Service.” WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1943 LAND FOR SOLDIERS

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3262, 12 May 1943, Page 4

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is Incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY. "Public Service.” WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1943 LAND FOR SOLDIERS

Some of the problems confronting New Zealand in its attempts to settle soldiers on the land have been shown by Mr D. V. Bryant, of Hamilton. This is not only a post-war difficulty. It is already being experienced and may be accentuated before the main body of the men return from the fighting fronts. Broadly speaking the problem is this: There are to-day two values that may be placed on land—the productive value and the market value. Land is of

little use to soldier settlers except at its productive value, but owners of land do not lack buyers at the market value. When the Government on behalf of the soldier offers to purchase land at the estimated productive value the owner replies that he has higher offers at the market value, and the soldier goes without land, because it is held that the market value is uneconomic. Mr Bryant contends that the solution is to take land compulsorily in suitable cases and compensate the owner on a fair basis.

The reasons for the enhanced market value are several, but the chief is that considerable sums of money are seeking investment, and in th’e circumstances it is sometimes a good propositon for the investor to pay more than the productive value of the land he buys rather than invest his money elsewhere. There are instances

where land could be taken compulsorily without injustice to the owner. There are others where such action would entail definite injustice, and care would be necessary in the administration of the scheme. Such care is intended in Mr Bryant’s proposals. It may be found, as Mr Bryant suggests, that there will be some owners of large

blocks of land who will be willing to part with a portion of their holdings at the productive value as a patriotic gesture. But if sufficient land is not t|ius made available, what is the remedy? Can soldiers be put on land at uneconomic prices ? Are some soldiers to go without land? Will values adjust themselves? The problem is thorny at every facet. In the meantime something like a deadlock exists, and if land settlement is to aid substantially in rehabilitation early action is necessary.