SOLDIER SETTLEMENT.

Otaki Mail, 12 June 1922, Page 3

SOLDIER SETTLEMENT.

IN A PRECARIOUS CONDITION. R.S.A. DEMANDS IMMEDIATE REDUCTION OE LAND VALUES. MINISTER SAYS THE TIME IS NOT OPPORTUNE. a The deputation that waited on the Minister tor Lands and Repatriation tHon. D. IL Guthrie) at the Kuku this ‘ week introduced a subject in tire revaluation oi returned soidiers’ Crown . lands that will bulk very largely in the public eye between now ana the ; end ol the year. A report at length i ol the ease put bel'ore the Minister is given below iur tout reason, and also because the matter lias a direct and important bearing upon the prosperity oi tins district, l'ne deputation was organised by Ur. J. Graham Gow', President ol the Levin R.S.A., and in addition to the speakers mentioned below, consisted oi 11 or ij soldiersettlers from the neighbourhood. Mr \V. H. Field, M.P., introduced the deputation, which met the Minister in die cheese store at me ivuku iactory. The Minister was accompanied by Mi" G. M. McClure, District Commissioner I oi Crown Lands, whose Department. ; handles ttie mailer. "IMPOSSIBLE TO CARRY ON." . | Dr. Gow, President oi the Levin i branch oi the R.S.A., was the first i speaker. On behaii oi tlie Association and tiie soldiers, he expressed gran- 1 Hide lor the opportunity of putting i their ease bel’ore die Minister. The I Association recognised fully what had | been dune by die country for the re- [ turned soidiers, and he quoted die ! opinion oi Dr. Boxer, ex-Uoniinion pi e-1 sident, on his return lroiii England, j that the Dominion was doing more i lor die returned men Ilian any other | country in the Empire. The Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act had been I asked for by the soldiers’, and they i still believed, in spite ol the present difficulties, dial it would prove a bene- j fit to the settlers and country. ‘‘Uut,’’ i continued the speaker, "under the circumstances that have arisen, it will j require immediate and decisive action on the part oi die Government to ex- | tricate the settlers under the Act from their present untenable position, and to make ii possible lor them to carry on tlieir holdings. The members of tliis deputation, representing the settlets themselves and every section of the business and farming communities oi the euuniy, have given serious consideration to tliis question, and we are unanimously of the opinion that the onlv solution lies in an immediate reduction of Hie capital value of die land and improvements held by die settler's under the Act. The present, valuation was based on the earning capacity of die land when prices of

producfe were at a phenomenally high level, amt Ihe improvements were put on the farms when materials and labour were at peak prices. Now that prices ot" products have fallen, tire valuations no longer hold good, and I the soldiers here lind it impossible to meet their liabilities. LIVING UN THE DEBTS. ■■The Ii.S.A. has'had the services oi a skilled accountant, who has gone into the finances of the »ettlers affected in this settlement, and at Oturoa, and we have prepared fur your consideration a tabulated statement showing . each man's position. These figures will show that it is absolutely impossible for these men to carry on, and , unless thev are granted immediate and permanent relict they will have no alternative but lo abandon a hopeless struggle and give up their holdings. The statement was handed to the Minister. Dr. Gow said that if the capital value ot the land and improvements plus the stock purchased was taken and compared with the receipts [or last year, it would he seen that the men were not receiving G per cent on the capital value, or little more than their interest. That did not allow anything for overhead charges or the men's labour. They had been subsisting practically on their unpaid rent —living on their debts. No man was satisfied to go on long under those conditions. Ministers had assured the soldier-settlers that the Government will stand bv the genuine triers and that they would put no man who was a trier off liis lann. But what matt wanted to be kept on a farm when lie could see no hope ot ever making auj neadwav. Under present conditions not one ot these men was as well oil as the wage worker, and every one realised that he is up against impossible odds. These men had proved themselves fighters, and the record oi the New Zealand Division was prool of their tenacity and endurance. All they asked was that the odds against them should be reduced, so that with courage and endurance, and with strenuous endeavour they might make good eventually. IMMEDIATE JiE-YALL AT lON NECESSARY.

What was the alternative ii these men walked oil their farms? asked the speaker, lire farms would fall hack on the Government's hands. They would deteriorate as long as they \vere unoecuoied. other tenants would not take them tip until the valuations were reduced. Why not reduce them now before others got. the benefit ol' the soldiers' labour. What would be the mental attitude ol the men themselves towards society, the country anil the Government n they had to go destitute into the ranks of the unemployed through no fault of their own. Twothirds of the Kuku men were married, and the speaker stressed the effects the insecurity and the shadow of debt would have on their women loll;. The Government was trying to help by postponing their rent but the R.S.A. thought it was demoralising to the men to put off their liabilities. It was getting them into bad habits and their position would only get worse all 'die time rents were being postponed and so capitalised. The Minister- said that was the very thing the Government stood up against. Dr. Gow said he stood corrected. They had been under the impression that rents postponed were added to the total of their liabilities. The point did not affect his main argument, however, hast week, he said, the whole attention of the Dominion was centred on the peril that beset the Wiltshire’s men. The Government sent up life-saving equipment and did everything possible without stopping to consider the cost. It did not say to the shipwrecked sailors: “You stick to the ship, lads, and when the storm abates we will see what we can do to assist you.” The ' returned soldiers also wanted immediate assistance, and that was the immediate reduction of their valuations. BUSINESS MEN’S VIEWPOINT. Mr V. \V. Matheson, Mayor of Levin. said this district was rarely honoured by a Ministerial visit, and they were therefore particularly glad to see Mr Guthrie amougst them. He appeared to have been impressed by the clear and business-like statement | made by the Returned Soldiers' President, but he, was going to be still more impressed by the actual figures and the evidence of practical farmers, that would be submitted to him. Certain people made a point for their own purposes of putting the whole blame for the soldiers’ difficulties oil the Government. But the R.S.A. did i not take up that attitude and the men were satisfied the Government was not to blame, and that it was willing , to co-operate with them in Ming a solution. The problem must b« look-

ed at from the national viewpoint. It nut only aiiecteu re turned sumicrs but exery maiviuuai in mis cuumry. jiveiy allowance must ne mane lor me men, tne conuuions•and promises made to them when mey went away, the experiences mey went thruugn, Wincn mey only could realise, anu me unsettling enect oi an mat on their Jives. ine suicUer sctuers were not usual" for any gut, hui on meir return mey nau to have a reasonable time 10 nnu ineinseives. llie siump came on many oi mein beioie mey eouid do mat. they nad had to maim necessary iniprovemeins at the highest peak oi costs, me country muse, realise mat me experiences mese men hau gone tluougn, and meir state oi iiuiiu, was sucn dial they were melmed to throw up the sponge in the face of meir present uilneuiues. Here in me KutiU mey had absolutely me linesi land in me Dominion, ami me men were hard toilers and honest layers. If they" could not make goou under those conditions, wnai chance had men on me poorer hums tlirougnI. out .Uie Dominion'' Mr Mallieson said ' he was quite convinced tlie only solution was to write down me value oi tne lanu. That method was sounu economically, and one every husniessman had had lo lace. The difference in the soidier settler's case was that he hud no reserve to fail hack on—he had had no .time to build up a reserve. The next question was; \\hut were these men going to do for a living if they walked out of their !e tins',' NVhat would happen to their 'and? Who was going to take up the propositions if me men went out on tire road at the present lime they would lind no employment offering, and in the final result it would mean taxation to find tfiem work. There was also the loss to the State hy me deterioration of their properties, ana reduced production while waiting tor another farmer to go in. He believed that this loss would he very much } greater than tiie reasonable writing shown ol land values .would entail. f Continuing, the Mayor made a plea lon behalf oi the wives of tiie soldiers, who not only had to attend to the housework and families, hut go out on the farms to assist. Wiiat encouragement was offered them, and wim! chance had they oi bringing up their families reasonably under the conditions prevailing to-day? What was tiie state of mind ol these women, .with the thought ever-present that at any time they might have to give up their first home. That- was a consideration quite apart Irom any material or commercial element. The men bud made great sacrifices, and it was up to the general community to see that they were fairly dealt with. The Mayor said he was satisfied the Government would look at the national aspect, and would do all possible to relieve these men who were in such dire straits. So far as tiie deputation was concerned, its question was: What is the best form of relief ihe Government can give, and how soon? Mr G. H. Martin, President of the 1 Levin Chamber oi Commerce, added a welcome on behalf of Levin. He said this demand for revaluation was a spontaneous movement. The Chamber of Commerce composed largely' cl businessmen and farmers, was in full sympathy with it. The men round Levin were real triers, and doing ■ their best. There was no question of I blame in.the matter. When the men came back no Government could Have withstood the public demand for the i purchase of land for them, and now public opinion would be behind tiie j Government if it made a revaluation, ■ and gave immediate relief. ' NO INCENTIVE TO DEVELOPMENT. Mr G. A. Monk, chairman oi the | Horowhenua County Council, said lie j was very' pleased to welcome the Minister to the county. He had little to i add to the previous remarks. They were from tiie town point ol view, and he cuuid speak irom a practical standpoint in regard to Uie class oi land. He believed tiie Kuku was some oi the best land in tiie Dominion, nut IT required development. That was absolutely impossible under present conditions. There was no incentive lor the soldier settlers . to develop their land, if they couid not expect any relief, then the Government must expect the land to go hack. It was a matter that must receive immediate attention. ‘The men must be able to see some light ahead. If a loss had to be made, why not make it now and keep the men oil their land? j FARMERS' UNION OPINION. Mr A. MoLeavey, President oi tiie Ohau branch of the Farmers' Lruon, . said the Minister knew Uie Farmers' Union never asked lor anything un- , .warranted. He was just hack from 1 the Provincial Conference at Wanganui, and lie would have liked the Minister m have heard the discussion on the subject there. The general opin- ; ion was that an immediate revaiua- : tion w T as absolutely necessary. Mr | McLeavey said lie knew everyone ol the Kuku men personally, and believed that it given a fair chance they would ah make good. As the Minister old farmer, he did not think the appeal would fall on deut ears. PRACTICAL FARMER'S FIGURES. Mr R. G. Walls, speaking us a Kuku farmer, said he took up a section j there ten years ago. He started with the idea that he could make-The farm ! pay r for its own improvements, but he found that quite impossible, and had to get other capital. Much more so to-day would a farmer just starting out have to rely' on capital to carry out improvements. In some parts he could go into side-lines to increase ids returns, but that was impossible in the Kuku, because when cropping had to he done it was always me busiest time oi the year. Mr Wall said the was one of those who worked to have this block cut up. He considered at the time that the block was a fair proposition. Butterfat was on the rise, and it looked as il' tiie men would make good. Several oi the settlers had their parents near-by, and it was thought they would he assisted by them. But the Slump came so soon that the parents were hard up against it themselves, and had had no opportunity of helping. He had done all he couid to advise the soldier settlers and to help them on their farms, and he was sure they' would make good ii given a chance. Otherwise they would be put out on the road as casual labourers. That would be bad for the country in general. These men had had no capital to fall back on. 1 and his experience was that it was • quite impossible to take up a raw farm and make it pay out oi profits. . The Government was advocating a i eI duction of wages as a means to re-, i duce the cost of production, and it f should also agree to a reduction ofl land values to be consistent. Butter-1 I was down practically to 1 , and the. general opinion was that for the next? , few years it would not rise above 1/3.1 He considered it was impossible for I any farmer to take up land at more} than £SO per note and make it pav' at those prices. The Kuku settlers! i paid £65 and £75 per acre for their I • land. I Mr McClure: How much of it will] . carry a cow? J 1 Mr Walls said they could not allow i more than a cow to two acres. Farmers i could not go on the open market to rei place losses in their herds. Thev must ■ rear their own stock. In a herd of 30 cows this meant four calves the first' year and four weaners and four calves J I the second year. A farmer would also I 1 need two horees to do his own work. .Under these the £est el

land would not carry more than a cow to mo aaeo Us a uauy cow required. , twece me leeu a nultock neeueu. ruiuiciinoie mey must guard against ovt.siuoiciug. aumc oi tncir ucruo pm up mg returns out it took years to weak u|' tu mat coiiuiuon. it was ct % cry guuu neru mat averaged cotlios ui jjuuci’ icli. me minister: That is a fair average. j-ii >v uiis: if is nui a ’setay neiu. , At i, pci m mat meant a revenue ut . x,i~ 10/ per year per cow. uvulae oi these . men nau lo pay Lis lo Leo lor nailers , wlicit I'iiey wciii inio these tuims anu it cornu ne seen mat tne revenue wu- , uiu not pay me interest on tile ituiu ’ aiiu stuck, me Go . eminent w as taking trout one-eignui tu three-quarters , ut me sotuiers' cheques, me men nau , nau lo expend every penny oi the sur- ’ plus m me hush oi Hie season and uu- > thing nau accrued lor the winter and ’. il me soldiers nau an meir eneques . uurmg me next lew months lhere wo--1 uiu he hurejy a living out- ol n. tie { uigea mat mo Government ioregu me i winter eneques altogether in ureter to . give me inch a chance. I THE MINISTER’S REPLY. 1 LAND PURCHASED ON KUKU * i FARMERS' ADVICE. l file non. D. if. Guthrie thanked tiie ... speakers tor meir kind .welcome, as .utinster in charge oi Lands, Uie Dist charged soiuters Settlement Act anu Repatriation ne nad had a great ueat ■, j to uu with the administration oi tncse 'l Acts. The Government hau given a I great deal oi time to devising means 4 i amt methods hy which soldiers cuuiu , I tie placed on the land on the most reu- ' I souame ana satisfactory terms, lie rej ! ihiiidcu tne practical tanners present „ | oi ine arguments they used to cun‘j ‘mice him that the i\uku block was one ol me best things offered io the j. cot eminent and Uiai the soldiers h oj uiu uu w eii on it. tie recognised men i that it was good land hut that it wunt- , ed improvement, hut he was inlluene--5 ed m its purchase lo a very large exj tent uy tne opinions ui the practical runners ol the district. He iiad never g been one ol those who iiad looked iorj waid to the continuance oi big prices rur produce. He knew perfectly well 1 taut any business was subject to rise ~ and lull m prices and that depression and prosperity went m cycles. The ciOvernmenl was blamed for buying nigli priced land and it was said they j should have put the men on unimprov- , ed holdings in the hack country and allowed them to fight out their own . salvation ,but what would have hapj peued il they did that. The Govern- | ment was determined lo do what was , lutr and rigid, and it was not prepared to send these men to break in gum » and pumice lands, which was practically all this country iiad to oiler at l me 'present time in unimproved land. 2 t fhe Government saw that it would 2 > have to buy improved laud, especially .‘lor men suffering front disabilities, j Then there was Clause enacted bej i fore It is time as Minister, which gave I the soldiers Uie right to buy land irom 5 [private owners. Fart oi the Kuku land was acquired under that clause. A I great deal had been said that day I, about what the Government had done, V and lie was sorry to hear it because c it was crying down soldier settlement. 1 The Mayor: That charge has not been made to-day, sir. r. Mr Guthrie: The whole trend oi tlio ’■ argument w : as in that direction, i Dr. Gow and tire Mayor protested e that tlie deputation had no such thue light or intention. v HONEST TRIERS W ILL GET RELIEF. e Nir Guthrie said that so long as a '■ man was a straightforward trier the Government would give him rebel. ■ rip. rent could be postponed under e time heads tor one, two or three years as the ease might he. At the ‘ end of that lime, it could he paid oli j" in instaimems spread over four or live years. Or, under the deferred puy- . meat system, amounts postponed couid | be paid at the end ol the term, in- '" J stead oi taking ten years to pay off j * tiie land, .it would take thirteen or lourteeu years. The sot.her settler ‘j was not Hie only one in tre-u b.o. The ( uniortunate civilian set' 1 -, was in J just as great uoubic with no ‘ Government trying to hit him out , 1 oi it. The Department advised men , not to capitalise their pay mentis because that was heaping up debts and / putting u millstone round their necks. > fhe Government did not charge tii[Bterest on the postponed payments, ( i which any mercantile firm would I charge, but Uie Government itseJi 1 would have to go on paying the m--2 iciest on the money advanced to tne . soldiers. Furthermore, in cases oi absolute necessity, at the end oi the period, tiie payments would he remit- . ted altogether. some men in the Kuku iiad been working without mak-' . mg any payment at all, said the Minister. fne Government said to each soldier: Ii you can show us that you are making u reasonable effort to meet the position, there is not the slightest Jeur that one returned soldier will he thrown on the unemploy- . reel market. He referred to the fact that the Land Purchase Boards included men with iooai knowledge, it had been slated they had bought land at high values. He stated there had been '”706 transfers of soldiers’ lauds in the Dominion some because of illhealth or because the men were unsuited or had made a mistake in their calling. The valuation of those 706 properties at the time of purchase was £711,000. Something was put on them j by way oi improvements. Those pro- J perties were sold for £520,000, showing that they had brought £120,000 over what was paid lor them. M- Field: Did that net include the iuipicw cmeuts? Mr Guthrie said it did, hut the figures showed that fne country was not going to disaster. It always took a couple ol years, perhaps five years, belore a settler got his place in order and saw daylight ahead. Exactly the same thing occurred in all settlement. ■'For Heaven's sake,” he continued, "don't decry soldier settlement.” Mr McLeavey: We don't do that. The Minister said he paid a great deal of attention to Mr NlcLeavey's assurances when he was purchasing . this land, because he knew he was a practical farmer. j Mr McLeavey: You did quite right in purchasing the land. f • DON’T BE DISCOURAGED. ' J The Minister said he was quite case- | hardened to criticism now. He wottid say this to the Kuku soldiers: You have good land and you are strong and able-bodied.. Don’t lie discouraged f because the sun is not shining to-day 1 or because you cannot pay your rent. There is always a way out. The Government will help every honest trier. He will have nu chance of being put * out on the road. Do not he dishear- i * toned because you have struck two f Ibad seasons—and stick to it.” The 1 Minister tecalied sortie oi his experi- , ences ori taking up settlement. ? NO REVALUATION FOR THREE Y^rs. j He said the present was not the J time for a revaluation, and the law | V provided that there could be no re-1 I valuation until there had been three I rears' residence. Then it was attend-

ed by a provision that if a man sold out at a big profit after the revaluation he would he called upon to pay on the original value throughout the period. He advised the 'men not to hesitate m taking their eases to the Department. In Mr McClure they would find a sympathetic listener. A soldier said lie wrote to the Department on April 2? and again since and had had no answer. Another settler said he wrote two months ago and hud had no answer yet. Dr. Gow said it was well known that if the soldiers could get in touch with Mr McClure they got a fair and sympathetic hearing—/’Hear, hear" from the settlers)—bur lie was well guarded by liis stall'. *Mr McClure took notes of the cases mentioned lor inquiry. The thanks oi the deputation were expressed to the Minister for meeting the soldiers and the interview closed. The Ministerial party was subsequently entertained at. lunch in Levin, and had a round-table conference witli the deputation. As a result of this we understand hopes are entertained uf certain measures of relief other than those indicated by the Minister in his reply to the deputation.