LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 May 1919, Page 7

LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

IMPORTANT STATEMENT OF POLICY. Palmerston N., May 19. An important policy speech, with regard to the settlement of returned soldiers on the land, was made at Palmerston North to-day by the Minister of Lands (the Hon. D. H. Guthrie), in answer to representations on the question /by a deputation from the Patriotic Association and the Returned Soldiers* Association.

Mr. J. A. Nash, M.P., pointed out that there was absolute land-hunger in the North Island, and it was felt on all sides that the Government was not doing enough to cape with the requirements of returned soldiers. The deputation could not understand why suitable land in the district had been turned down and men who wished to take up small areas near town had been unable to get them. An advisory committee of several men should be set up in the various districts to act in conjunction with the land boards, which at present were placed in an invidious position. Mr. J. M. Johnson emphasised that the Land Purchase Board was turning down good land and buying properties which practical men would not touch. The speaker quoted several instances. Mr. Weeks spoke on behalf of the Returned Soldiers' Association, pointing out the various stumbling blocks in the way of soldiers who wished to take advantage of the Government settlement scheme.

The Minister, in reply, said the Government was face to face with many difficult propositions, and it knew that it would have to expect some failures in putting unsuitable "men on the land. The Government had established instructional farms, but men were not keen on going to them. They wanted to go straight on to the land, and this accounted for many failures. He held that the Kopane Settlement was the best exposition of the success of putting men on high-priced land that could be found. The Government was anxious to put them on suitable land. It had had plenty of experience in land settlement, but it was now faced with quite a different phase of the question. It had been his endeavor to do what the deputation asked by strengthening the land boards, and he had arranged to put a capable outside man on each. He was also arranging to do what they had asked in the matter of providing an advisory committee in each district. The Land Purchase Board had turned down the Kopane Settlement, and he admitted that they had been wrong in their judgment. A block of 4flo acres in this Qisiiict, which had been turned down, was to be revalued, and he hoped it would be bought. With regard to the remission of stamp duty, Mr. Guthrie said he personally was in favor of this, but on consulting the Department interested, he found that it was opposed to it on the score that it would seriously diminish the Department's income, and he could go no further. He held that the insistence of the duty being retained only resulted in taking money out of one Department's pocket and putting it into that of another Department. Referring to the matter of the purchase of stock, the Minister said that he was endeavoring at the present moment to secure men with suitable experience to advise as to the purchase of stock in each centre, and also to act as advisers to the settlers. He quite agreed that a three months' option was too long to ask a man to put his property under offer, and the time was being reduced to suit individual cases. He proposed to give facilities for the Repatriation Board to examine applicants for land, and thiswould save both time and expense, He wished to feel that he had the people behind him, and they were quite right in urging matters as they had done.