RETURNED SOLDIERS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 105, 4 May 1916, Page 7

RETURNED SOLDIERS.

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING FOR THEM. At the Soldiers' Hostel opened the other day, Mr. Massey spoke of what the Government is doing for returned soldiers. The number of men who had been disposed of by the Returned Soldiers Department was 1934. Of these 940 had re-enlisted or had returned to work, 515 had notified that they required no assistance and 366 had been placed by the Department, Government positions being found for 140. Where the Government had a vacant position which could be filled by a returned soldier he got preference. Most municipal councils also gave preference, and work had been found for 54 by them, while 173 had gone to private employment. Up to the present the Lands Department had set apart 500,000 acres for soldiers, but of this area 61,199 acres had already been formally proclaimed. The first ballot for soldiers was fixed for May 10, for land in the Hawke's Bay district. There were 28 sections and 24 good dairy farms, comprising 2696 acres. There were four dairy farms of 183 acres in Marlborough. There were 13 small farms near Blenheim to be ballotted for in June. Of 523 acres each in Southland, there were eight good dairy farms to be disposed of in May. Of 739 acres in the Auckland district, there were five farms of 643 acres. There were also 27 sections at Koheroa, comprising 2212 acres, and 11 sections at Cambridge containing 566 acres. The latter formed the Reynolds Settlement for which £2O an acre had been paid. There were 31 sections in the Hawke's Bay district, 10 in the Wellington district, 5 in Nelson, and 14 in Otago. Military settlement was, of course, largely a matter of experiment, but it was hoped that more success would be achieved than had been the case in the past in this direction.