THE CARE OF SOLDIERS' FARMS.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 January 1917, Page 3

THE CARE OF SOLDIERS' FARMS.

To the Editor. Sir—Your reference in this morning's issue'of your paper to the State's obligations regarding the soldiers' financial affairs is exceedingly timely, and likely to he of more than ordinary interest to many who at any time, may expect to see their names figure on the list of those selected by ballot to fight " for their country. So far as I have been able to judge, there are very few who ■will bo at all disposed to complain at their being called up, provided it is their turn to make the sacrifice but, surely, as a .State, we 'have no right to expect any man* to make a present of one single shilling to those who stay behind and benefit by the' physical sacrifices of others. I speak as a farmer, and if men are called upon to leave their farms, then adequate protection is surely due to their financial interests, and since the State must provide this protection, is it not already high time we heard of something definite having been done in this direction? As you pointed out; "If the land can be sold, there are still men to work it," but to force one man to sell his land places him at a considerable disadvantage with the probable purchaser, and it stands to reason that in very many cases the prospective soldier will be called upon to undergo not only physical discomfort and danger, but also distinct financial loss, and the man who works the land reaps the benefit. The unfairness and injustice of this is so obvious as to make any further comment on it unnecessary. At the same time, it is not likely that the placing of managers on farms during the owners' absence will prove .very satisfactory. Already I know of one instance of this having been done, and the manager, being unreliable, gave up his task almost before the owner left Xew Zealand. The farm is now being only half worked by the ov/ner's father and young brother, who live several miles away, and have more than they can manage without it. In this case the owner volunteered, but ■the instance serves to' show that the soldier may lose more by his farm being improperly managed than he would if he sold it and took what he could get. The only really fair way would be for the State to take over All such farms, allowing the owners fair i, value and appointing managers of their own or setting them apart for returned soldiers. In this way the soldiers would be relieved of worry regarding their affairs at home, and as one of the conditions of transferring the property ;ould be that 'most"of the money should remain in the land while the ' previous owner . was away, and the outlay to the State need ' not be very great, and the interest en the capital could be more than made up by the returns from the land so purchased . In any case, it is high time our legislators faced the position squarely, for it is not likly procrastination will assist matter*, and already men are at their wits' end—l am, etc., OBSERVER. Cardiff. January 9.