SOLDIERS AND LAND.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1648, 9 December 1916, Page 4

SOLDIERS AND LAND.

WHAT IS BEING DONE. A GROWING PROBLEM. LARGE AREAS PROCLAIMED. A comprehensive statement relating to whal has been dune by the Government and what it is intended to do in regard to placing returned soldiers on the land under the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1015, was made to a Post representative by (be Hon. das. Allen (Acting-Prime Minister). In summarising the operations under the Act the Minister stated; — “The area that has been allotted now amounts to 70,489 acres, and is held by 198 men. On the passing of rite Act mentioned, the Department of Lands and Survey estimated that 500,000 acres could be made available for occupation by discharged soldiers, ip to (be present time an area of 1915,007 acres has been formally proclaimed under (lie Act. There is, therefore, plenly of land available to meet the rei|uiremenls of men who have returned to (he Dominion and been discharged from service. In addition to (be lands already mentioned, the current issue of the Grown Lands Guide contains particulars of 711'J,000 acres, which may be applied for at any lime either by discharged soldiers or (he general public .Some members of the Expeditionary Forces who are still absent from Hie Dominion have made application and secured bind at ordinary ballots, their applications being made by duly authorised agents. Twentyfive soldiers have obtained sections in this way containing a total areaof 08,900 acres; nine discharged soldiers have also secured PA,0.45 acres at ordinary ballots, while eight discharged soldiers ami members of the Expeditionary Forces have obtained sections by way of transfer from the Crown lessees.”

The 'Minister then supplied the following infof'PM.'tion regarding land for discharged soldiers in the various districts. The following refers i o the WELLINGTON DISTRICT. The lirst allotment in thy Wellington Land Distriet under the Discharged Soldieds’ Settlement Act, 1915, was made by 1 ho Land Board on thy 27;th January, DIG, mid U p

Ir> f' i :• present tho number of soldiers who inm* obliiined sections is

Guided hy the discrclbinary provisions of the Act and Regulations, the board has endeavoured to suit t lie soldier sell lei' to the land open for application, and, generally speaking, the hoard’s efforts in this direction have been successful. Of the Crown lands available for allotment when the Act was passed, the greater proportion was virgin hush or bush land that had been milled, hut it happened that at this time the leases expired of some few thousand acres of open grass laud purchased hy the Crown in years gone hy, and these areas have absorbed thirteen settlers, while another ten have gone into occupation of some grazing country acquired by (he Crown under similar conditions, but with patches of open ■land, the remfsiinder being in light hush.

Some of these farms are in profitable occupation already, being dairying country, and full advantage is being taken of the present season. On milled busb lands, situated on or close to the Main Trunk railway, seventeen settlers have been located, the areas being between 100 and. HOI) acres, and when put in grass will eillier be adapted for dairying or grazing. .Here bush felling is progressing apace, and a huge area will be burned next .January or i'Vbnuiry. As some of these sections contain small clearings, a return can be obtained by grazing while wailing for the burning of the felled bush, and employment should easily be found in sawmills close by.

In virgin bush connin' there have been seventeen selections, principally out oft a block of about 40,000 acres abutting on the upper reaches of I he Wanganui River ami (■.'.lending' eastward. Here the land will be good sheep country when cleaved of bush, and the values being reasonable for this class ol land, considering the distance front rail —aboul 3b miles —the settlers will in the course of lime reap the benefits from their own improvements. Some are already felling their bush, and its they are ol the class of men used to hash country (hey will no doubt make a success of their undertakings.

The Grown recently acquired two blocks of improved land near .Marton and feilding, which were subdivided into twenty-two farms, and seventeen of these are taken up. Tiie greater part of the country is suitable for dairying, and some of the settlers Vave gone into occupation.

An area of about A, GAO acres of first-class dairy land has been acquired near Ifoiigolea, a dairyfarming centre, and will provide twenty-live holdings, which will he allotted almost immediately. Another block of 10,000 acres of slice]) and cal tie country, known as Tiraumea Station, has also been acquired, and will provide from twenty to twenty-live farms, delivery of which will he given next March. The area available* for selection is 30,530 acres, of which 35,000 acres arc*, when cleared, suitable for grazing and 030 acres for residential or small farms, the former area being situated in Whirinaki, Relaruke, and .Manganni Survey Districts, and the latter area in 1 he* Ilntt Valiev.