Land For Soldiers.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 12 July 1917, Page 3

Land For Soldiers.

THE CASE OF . HOME SERVICE ! . MEN. I In t-lio House of R'eprefoentjatives yesterd'ay, Mr. Fletcher, 'M.P., asked the Prime Minister whether he would 'bring in iameudting legislation this session in regard to land for soldiers, enabling those soldiers who have only home service to their credit to participate in the ballot for soldiers' land. In a note to tli6 question, Mr Fletcher states: "Many o-f the soldiers incamps have been passed and accepted for service at the front, afterwards breakjing down physically, and havo not been allowed to proceed to the front 'because of unfitness. They have not been discharged, but have been retained- for home service." The Prime Minister replied that The Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act provided land for New Zealanders who had been members of an Expeditionary Force in connection with the present war, have served beyond New Zealand, and havo received their discharge and returned to iNew Zealand. Seeing the great number that are still at the front and the necessity of providing land for them, I cannot at present propose legislation extending the provisions of that Act to a. larger class. I may add, however,' that 'all members of an Expeditionary 'Force, whether or not they have ; left the dominion, are granted preference at ballots for ordinary Crown land or settlement land, and the Land Boards will in all cases give sympathetic -consideration to their applications. ■'