LAND SETTLEMENT

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3273, 9 June 1943, Page 5

LAND SETTLEMENT

FARMS FOR THE SOLDIERS

MEETINGS IN RURAL AREAS

RETURNED SERVICES’ MOTION

During the past few months statements have appeared in the Waikato papers of the proposals made by Mr D. V. Bryant of Hamilton and Mr A. P. Robinson, of Cambridge, in regard to land settlement of soldiers from this war. These have been all to the good in bringing to the notice of the public in general their responsibility as individuals on the question of re-’ habilitation. But the public should also know that the Returned Services Association has for the past four years been fully alive to. its great responsibility in this matter —it is to the credit of the association that so long ago as November 1940 a special two-days lands conference was held in Wellington at which the whole policy of land settlement was finally and conclusively decided upon and conveyed on the 23rd. of that month to eight Cabinet Ministers, states an article by Mr F. H. Anderson, of Cambridge, forwarded to the Hauraki Plains Gazette of Mr G. G. Griffiths of the Matamata R.S.A. The article continues as under:—

“That policy has been affirmed at succeeding conferences in June 1941, 1942 and was again fully investigated and brought up to date at the annual conference held last month in Wellington at which 150' delegates from branches all over New Zealand attended.

“Since June of last year the branches of the R.S.A. in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and King Country have sent their delegates to three conferences which have been held in Hamilton and Rotorua and the three main questions at these conferences have been war pensions, re-employment of returned servicemn and land settlement.

At the conference in Wellington last month proposals for bringing the question of land settlement before the public and farmers particularly, were brought forward by Mr F. H. Anderson of Cambridge and seconded by Major-General Sir Andrew Russell. They were to the effect that the responsibility of compiling data (through direct contact with farmers willing to sell) of land available for settlement of men returning from this war should fall upon the branches of the R.S.A.; also advice in regard to purchase of land and the settlingon it of men selected as suitable. To enable this to be done it was recognised that, as rehabilitation is the responsibility of everyone in the community and not of the Government alone, everyone should have the opportunity of assisting branches of the R.S.A., and working with' them and that that could best be accomplished through public meetings in all rural centres at which the policies of the Rehabilitation Board, the Lands for Settlement Board and the Returned Services’ Association would be fully explained as regards purchase values and terms of settlement. Mr*G. G. Griffiths of Matamata, as vice-president of the for the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and King Country districts, will be arranging for these meetings during the next month so soon as the fullest information can be placed in the hands of the speakers appointed by each branch. It is hoped that with the assistance of all' who are interested progress will be definitely made with land settlement plans for the South Auckland Province.