THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 1919. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 18 June 1919, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 1919. EDITORIAL NOTES.

J Demobilisation ! Troubles. ' The task of demobilisation is being I carried through, on the* whole, effectively and expeditiously, and it will I not be long now ere all our men are ,; safely back in Xew Zealand. As might I be expected in such a huge undertnking, a certain amount of blundering j has happened, which has led to dissatisfaction among the men. One of the I most common complaints is that those j who have served for long period? nrn not considered sufficiently. White, as • a general rule, the authorities base | aimed at demobilising- the men somej where in accordance with their length j of service, this excellent rale hits not j been followed in several instant-.-, and i naturally the long-service men eoinj/fdiun bitterly. An instance of this sort j of thing is referred to elsewhere in this ' issue, in which n .Main Body man voices ; his disgust at being compelled to re- • main in Kgrpt when those who have only served a few months are sent home againi A few of these Main Body men, who have borne the brunt of a very lengthy and trying campaign. as well as the ::?-j:-a strain imposed by years of continuous service in the trying climate of the deserts of Africa and Palestine, are getting absolutely "fed . up," ami have every reason to wax indignant when ttey see others with only a few months' service seat home in preference to them. There surely is urgent need for improved and more equitable methods of. demobilisation, aiid in justice to the tried veterans of the war it is hoped that they will be relieved from doty as soon as possible. The,Land Boom. An unexampled land boom i? in evidence in New Zealand, and the North Island in particular, just new. Tins district is sharing in the boom, and numerous properties have changed hands during the pas* few months at prices undreamed of in the past. l'*rhaps the Te Horo. district has been influenced by the demand for 'and more ' than any other part of the coast, and SO many changes have been effected in this little settlement that in a few weeks' time the majority of the oid settlers will have, left the place. The " high price of produce during the past few years, the development of the dried milk industry, the demand for farms for returned soldiers, and the-anticipa-tion of keen demand for our produce, •a consequence of the ending of the war and the general impetus to trade generally as the result .of this, are some of the factors which have led to the extraordinary demand for land, acd the pavm'ent" of fabulous prices for farm , properties- Land which brought £2O so i £4<! a few years ago now sells readily at £lol' upwards: in fact, prices are soaring upwards to such a remarkable degree that there ■'Ct.'n,.-. to "be iirr.it. Already 'in. this, district cases h»ve. .heetC brought under our notice where land i ''■peculators- have . uiadc thousands of J pound* without spending a penny, or i even 'occupying a property. Where is I this kind of thing going to end? One | thing is certain, if it cjarinues mtios. j longer, it will.be responsible "for T "-'|f rain of a great many:people, for, : withV|. ;we have, the crmost iar.h in cur Xewl« Zealand farm■' laatk,:"faise«ng, shferrd {:, m« jre aß&nhcins la the aginios that J

rirucli of tie property now being sold at these extremely high, rates will not give holders an adequate return, and mil only lead them to the bankruptcy court. The values placed on farm lands 1 are, for the most parr, fictitious ones, • .created by md exceptional demand existing, and the wild gamble by land ; speculators, and must result sooner or j later in disaster i