SOLDIERS ON THE LAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 July 1922, Page 4

SOLDIERS ON THE LAND.

TROUBLES REVIEWED. BY SIR ANDREW RUSSELL, SUGGESTED ACTION. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Levin. Last Night. Sir Andrew Russell, president of the Dominion R.S.A., addressed a public gathering here, at the soldiers’ carnival, on the question of soldiers’ settlement. He said it was unfair to blame the« Government generally for the position in which many returned men found themselves, because, if the Government had not purchased the land, there would have been a. howl from end to end of the Dominion, but if some foresight and wisdom had been shown in regard to land settlement, as was shown in the case of repatriation to trades, by setting up boards of experienced men to ensure that no soldier was sent on the land without a fair chance of success, there would not now be such an urgent need for action, as the result of many men being put on the land with altogether insufficient experience and training, and not having had time to leaxn ’ to farm/in a’ skilful way before the fall in produce prices came. Another mistake made was in not appointing, at whatever cost, experienced biipervisora to instruct these men. The R.S.A. suggested to the Government that the whole question was too serious to be put off by expressions ©£’ pious goodwill. It was nee/Hsary tbntf: part of the rents be written off where* it can be shown that the men are un-i able to pay them. There should be a revaluation for rental purposes, and men unable to make a success of farming at those reduced rentals should g) off the land and make way for those who could make ends meet. Mnally, they advocated that revaluations for capital purposes was not so urgent, but waa very necessary. Prices of produce were not stabilised yet, but the U.S.A. n*ged the revaluation should be based on the prices of produce for the past twelve years. They did not claim chat as the best basis, but said to the Government, “find a better one.” The R.S.A. made a strong point of a soldier helping himself by- co operation by improving h’s herds, and shouldering his obligations. Many were at present depressed, because they could not see blue water ahead. Like the unjust steward in the Bible storj r , the Governmenu shouli write off fj much of theft* indebtedness, and restore the hope thas they had lost.