ADVANCES TO SOLDIERS

Southland Times, Issue 18840, 5 June 1920, Page 6

ADVANCES TO SOLDIERS

THE SUDDEN STOPPAGE,

DEPUTATION TO PRIME MINISTER

(Per United Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, June 3. A deputation, consisting of the whole of the delegates to the Returned Soldiers’, Association’s Conference, waited on the Prime Minister and the Minister of Lands (the lion. D. H. Guthrie) to-day to lay before them matters in connection with the stoppage of loans under the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act. They asked that instructions be given to land boards to receive applications in res[>cct of commitments entered into before April 22.

The Minister of Lands said that the soldiers themselves could not be more enthusiastic than the -members of the Cabinet in regard to providing for the soldiers on the land. Unfortunately, the demands which had come in were so great that the provision proved inadequate. At the first opportunity he had sounded a note of warning. From April, 1919, to March, 1920, the total amount expended was £12,610,000, or £IIO,OOO more than had been authorised. In April of this year £885,000 had been spent. Mr Guthrie referred to the fact that even the little cessation which had taken I lace had had a steadying effect on the inflation of land values. The Cabinet’s decision was not to cut off the supply, but to steady it, op, if possible, to give up buying houses because that was not increasing (he supply of houses. Clause 2 of the Act had been inserted to meet the needs of disabled and injured men who could not take land requiring strenuous working, and the nuneiit thought the time had arrived when they should case up on the one-man-one-farm proposition, especially when it had 61 improved estates and Crown land totalling 700.000 acres available for settlement.

In reply to a question, Mr Guthrie said that applications would be received by the laud board, •nnd each would bo considered on its merits. There was a sum of £382,000 in hand for slocking and improvements, and the Minister of Finance had given authority to go to £500,000 a month until Parliament met and decided the question. The Prime Minister said that he had promised to find £500,000, find instead he had found £3,000,000. That was no breach of promise. What had been done was necessary fiom u financial point of view, and also for the good of the country, as the purchasing of land was helping to create a •boom. The financial position was what they were up against, but, consistent with keeping the finances in a sound condition, everything possible would be done to place the soldiers on the land. He advised the men to go on part of the large area of Crown lend which was being made available, so that they could get experience gradually instead of starting on land at £25 to £SO an acre.

Mr Massey read the actual Cabinet minute on the subject as follows:—“ Effort to be concentrated on the settlement of land already purchased and Crown land available. Operations under Section 2 of the 1917 Act to be tapered off. No more houses in the centres to bo purchased unless for special reasons.”

Mr Massey said that a contract entered into before Cabinet came to a decision would be regarded as a reason for special consideration. A resolution was subsequently carried by the conference expressing general dissatisfaction with the. Prime Minister’s reply, and appointing a sub-committee to draw up a resolution covering the various issues raised by the deputation.