SOLDIERS AND STATE AID.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3532, 21 July 1920, Page 6

SOLDIERS AND STATE AID.

MEN FULFILLING CONTRACTS,

SIR F. BELL’S TRIBUTE. . ’ CHRISTCHURCH, July 3.8. “I am not boasting of what New Zealand has done for its men, but I want to boast about the way the men of New Zealand are'standing T>y their contracts with the Government of the Dominion,” said Sir Francis Bell at a banquet given to Amberley returned soldiers. Sir Francis said over 95 per cent, of the men with obligations to the Government were meeting them to the day, and monthly collections by the I Repatriation Board were coming In at 'the rate cf £420,000 per annum. Five per cent only were not paying their obligations to the day, and many of I these failures were due to death, j while in most of the other cases there j was some reasonable explanation. In j regard to land advances payments , were being made with astonishing re- , gularity. While he was acting as

Minister for Lands it was the most gratifying and most pleasant experience of his life to see the way the men were meeting their obligations. Verv few indeed had claimed an extension of time or remission, which ordinary settlers were sometimes prone to do.