RETURNED SOLDIERS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 50, 28 October 1915, Page 3

RETURNED SOLDIERS.

MR C. P. DONNELLY’S OFFER.

Pek Phess Association. Wellington, October 27. A suggestion and a generous offer liuve been made by -Mr 0. I*. Donnelly, of Hawke’s Day, in connection with the settlement of returned soldiers on the laud. Writing to the Prime Minister, Mr Donnelly suggests that the present Land for Settlement Act should be so amended as to allow the creation of a Military Board, consisting of the Minister for Lands, the Crown Land Commissioners, and live or six independent landed proprietors. One dtstrict might extend from the Taurauga, Rotorua, and Taupo districts to the Manawatu Stream, thus including large areas which at the present time are lying practically idle and unproductive. Mr Donnelly suggests the names of farmers who might serve on the board, and the first step should he the establishment of a military depot. For this purpose some private land might be purchased and worked in conjunction with several large blocks of Crown land in the Petane district. The board would collect funds, and gifts of sheep,, cattle, and horses, and would arrange to have the farms ready stocked and fit for occupation by men returning from the front. The soldiers would have the opportunity then to become prosperous settlers. The Imperial Government had settled soldiers on the land in the Auckland district after the Maori wars, a<fd the system had been highly ■successful. Similar work was most successfully carried out by Hon. J. DOrmond. When he was Superintendent of Hawkes Bay all the hush lying between Takapau and Woodville was cleared by the settlers, and they not only cleared their own lands, fenced them, and grassed them, but also , made their own roads and assisted in building railways. Mr Donnelly said he thought lie was safe in saying that in both Islands a ] quarter of a million pounds would be , subscribed for returned w'ouuded sol- ( diers, and he also felt certain that every farmer, runholder, merchant, and storekeeper would help by giving something to go _ towards stocking, , grassing, and fencing the farms, thus saving the Government from the necessity of imposing taxations. H nis proposal were carried out, he would be prepared to give £IOOO cash and 1000 two and four-tooth ewes (when required), 15 rams, 50 two-year-old heifers, 1 Shorthorn or Polled Angus bull, 1 thoroughbred stallion, and 5 mares, besides fowls and about £SO worth of station stores. Iu order to carry out this scheme it would be necessary, said Mr Donnelly, to have good storage room airanged for in all the principal centres of both Islands, in charge of an officer and staff, to receive all goods, and military camp depots to have a similar staff, to receive all stock when required. He would suggest that the area of laud to be given to each individual should be in accordance "dh his rank, viz., privates, an area when fenced and grassed to carry J JUO breeding ewes; non-coms., an oica when fenced and grassed to carry -01) breeding ewes; lieutenants, an area. . when fenced and grassed to carry* 1400 breeding ewes; captains, an area when fenced and grassed to carry 1000 breeding ewes; colonels, an area when fenced and grassed to cany 1700 breeding owes; generals, an aua 1 when fenced and grassed to cau> 2000 breeding.ewes. The majority of the land would >e second and third-class, and he would id so recommend that the ballot he done away with, and every section drawn for to ensure every man getting a block.