LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1401, 22 May 1915, Page 2

LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

THE PRIMI- MINISTER’S INTENTION. The Prime Minister states that he has instructed the Undersecretary for Lands to send a circular to the Commissioners of Crown Lauds throughout the Dominion, telling them that be desires that in all cases settlers who are now serving at the front with our troops should be treated in the most liberal manner. In no case should any forfeiture lor non - compliance with residence, improvements, or other conditions of the lease take place without first submitting full particulars to the Department and to himself, and if any settler who is at the front or who desires to go to the front wishes to transfer his section, every reasonable facility must be given to allow of the approval of the application to transfer. “I intend,” says Mr Massey, “during the coming session to introduce legislation authorising members of the Expeditionary Forces to apply for either Crown or settlement lands. In the meantime, if any Land Board is satisfied that a bona fide relative or even a friend is applying for land with the ultimate view of transferring the section to a man who is fighting his country’s battles at the front, the board should use discretion, and by no mean treat such an application as dummyism. “I propose to set apart iu the uear future suitable blocks of land for settlement by members of the Expeditionary Forces on their return to the Dominion. Unfortunately, the area of Crown land of good quality now remaining is very limited, but I inteud to do my best for returning soldiers.”