RASH LAND DEALS.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 July 1918, Page 6

RASH LAND DEALS.

MINISTER WARNS RETURNED SOLDIERS. Certain sellers of land have been adopting a questionable practice lately in order to attract as buyers returned soldiers. They have by advertisement or otherwise led the soldier to believe that- ho has only to buy the property and the Government will finance the purchase for him The soldier in some eases has made the purchase, paid a deposit which will too sufficient to pay commission, and then has found that the Government will not finance him at all.

This matter has ibeen brought* to the notice of the Minister m charge of returned soldiers' affairs, the Hon. 'D. H. Guthrie, and yesterday he made to a reporter a statement intended to be a warning to soldiers about to embark on any land purchase. The Minister asks soldiers who are thinking of asking financial assistance from the Government iu the purchase of land on Which they, wish to settle to oommunicata with the Commissioner of Crown Lands in their districts before committing themselves, and especially before they part with any of their cash. If a soldier finds a piec-3 of land which he thinks will suit him, he should advise the Commissioner of Crown Lands, giving all available particulars as to the location, area, and price of the property. Immediately upon receipt of sueli advice the (Department will send an inspector to view the property and report upon it . That Teport goes before the Land Purchase Board, and the board may recommend the purchase at once, or if there seems to be any doubt as to whether the land is worth the money asked for it, may send another valuer out, who will make a separate valuation. If the board should at length consider that the property is one that should Iks bought, the matter is referred to the Minister, who in turn submits it to Cabinet. If Cabinet approves, which is usually the case,' the deal is made This need not occupy in all more than one week. Then the Department i.s ready to put the soldier on the selection- He may go on as a leasehold tenant with right of puroiha-se .at the. original purchase price, or he may purchase on the easiest of terms, with interest at C per cent, on his unpaid balance of purchase money. In these d'ays no private owner of land will readily give such easy terms. There are no troublesome regulations about the repayment of tlie! money. If at any time a tenant wishes to pay back auv part of the money, or to pay back all of it. the pavment will be accepted, interest being charged until the date of repayment. This is. a variation of the rules applying to advances to ordinary borrowers from the Government, and the eonces'sion is made to help the soldier settlers in every possible wav. The Minister says that he wishes to point out to a soldier desiring to get a piece of laud that he can get help from the Government by asking for it, if the land is worth the money he proposes to pay for it. But the Government cannot .and does not undertake to finance any purchase made by the soldier without reference to the Government- Some such applications have had to be refused, liecause the land wa.s not worth the price asked. *»r wa« unsuitable, and She Minister advises that in order to avoid disappointments the soldier ought to come first tjp the Government before committing himself to a -purchase or paying any deposit.