SOLDIERS ON THE LAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 August 1922, Page 5

SOLDIERS ON THE LAND.

A SMALL LOSS MADE. NO “DISASTROUS RESULTS.” i By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Referring to the purchase of land for soldiers, the Hon. E. P. Lee said in the House to-night that what put up the price of land was the price our produce was bringing, and not the amount of money spent by the Government. When soldiers’ land was bought it was well recognised that if the price of land fell in value the country would have to bear the loss. It had also been said that men should not have been rushed the land, but the fact was that the country demanded the men should be settled as they came back, and this was done. It had not resulted disastrously, as the Opposition said. The losses to date were not millions, as had been said, but only some £300.000, which, if it is lost, the Government would have to shoulder, as it had all along been anticipated it would do. He defended the use of accumulated surpluses in the purchase of land for soldiers, because if it had not been used it would have gone to pay off the war debt at 5 per cent., while they would have had to borrow at 10 per cent, to buy land for soldiers.