LAND FOB EX-SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 July 1920, Page 5

LAND FOB EX-SOLDIERS.

SOME TARANAKI CRITICISM. THE MINISTER'S REPLY. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Last Night. Some statements made at New Plymouth by Captain Hawkins, organiser for the Returned Association, were the subject of a question put to the Minister for Lands in the House of Representatives by Mr. S. Of. Smith (Taxanaki). Captain Hawkins was reported to have said that the Government, when buying estates, was "more concerned about helping its own political friends than assisting the soldiers." Seventeen soldiers oil one estate were threatened with legal proceedings for the recovery of rates, and he hoped the cases would go to the court in order that the public might see how the soldiers were treated. The official unimproved value of the estate in 1916 had been £IO,OOO, and the capital value £44,000. The Government had paid £BI,OOO for the property and had since spent £7OOO upon it. The soldiers were now being re- 1 quired to pay double the old rates. Mr. Guthrie replied that he was not going to take notice of irresponsible statements made by irresponsible individuals. The statements quoted by Mr. Smith -were not in accordance with fact. The Government, for example, had spent £7OO on the property, not £7OOO. The Minister suggested that the statement should be placed on the Order Paper, and said he would give a full refutation of the statements made.