9

H.—29a

(instead of through a County Council) on the amortization principle, to be secured by a rate on the land. By this means farmers could provide accommodation for married hands; but in the case of the backblocks it would not meet requirements to the full extent, and it was thought in such cases that the village-settlement scheme would counteract the objections to isolation and the want of social amenities. Means should also be provided for the surrounding settlers to secure an area, of land in their midst if they so desire to enable a village settlement to be established. The Board think that both these matters should receive the immediate and favourable consideration of the Government. The following resolutions were accordingly passed and forwarded on to 3'ou : — " (1.) That when a. number of settlers require land in a central position for the purpose of building cottages for rural workers, the Government should take the necessary steps to obtain the land required, the applicants to undertake to erect and maintain the cottages and to repay the cost of the houses and land, either in cash or on the instalment system. " (2.) That the Government be recommended to extend the provisions of clauses 31 to 33 of the Counties Amendment Act, 1913, relating to the building of cottages, so that a farmer could borrow money (to be secured by a rate on the land for the repayment of principal and interest, such rate to take precedence of other charges) for the purpose of erecting cottages on his property for farm labourers, the loan on the land to be repaid on the instalment system in accordance with the schedule to the Act named." Settlement of Returned Soldiers ox the Land. This question has on several occasions received consideration by the Board, and we are aware that the Minister who is in charge of the Department that deals with returned soldiers is taking steps to place them on the land. We had some correspondence with the National Efficiency Board on the subject, and with that Board our members in conference discussed the various phases of the question. We were informed that the Government has handed over to a Canterbury Patriotic Society a farm of 1,200 acres in the Southbridge district for the purpose of teaching returned men the different kinds of farming, which is to be managed by an experienced man with a local committee of farmers, the idea being to pay each man employed on the farm a. certain wage according to his fitness. We had information to the effect that the Minister interested in the returned soldiers might make arrangements whereby any deficiency in wage up to a reasonable sum might he provided by his Department, so that a man who was gaining experience on the land would not be expected to work for less than a living-wage. It was the opinion of the Board that a man who could take a job from a. farmer would be better left to make his own arrangements. It was, however, thought that such farms might he established in other districts, but there still remains the partially disabled man who might desire lo gain experience in some of the different sections of farming, and the Hoard has recommended that an appeal should be sent out to the farmers of New Zealand to take such men and give them thai opportunity, as well as the inexperienced man if he would prefer to go on under a. farmer direct. The representations in the matter which the Board made to the Right lion, the Prime Minister are as follows : — " (1.) That the opening-up of Crown and Native lands should lie accelerated and carried through on a, large scale. " (2.) That the purchase of private estates should be continued, lint owing to the presold high prices for land great discretion should be used. That as to leasehold runs. as the leases fall in they should be disposed of by sale under the deferredpayment system, or exchanged under the Land Act for good freehold in suitable situation and close to settlement. "(3.) That in land-purchases the Government should utilize the organization of the National Efficiency Board, so as to obtain advice as to its suitability, its value, and the method of its subdivision — with special emphasis as to the importance of subdivision. " (4.) That while every endeavour should be made to settle a, large number of men upon the land, it: is absolutely essential that no one should be allowed to take up an area of purchased land for farming purposes under the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1917, or be granted financial assistance by the Government, who cannot produce evidence from some reliable sources that he has had the necessary experience to make the venture a success; but preference to returned soldiers at the ballots should he extended for a sufficient time to enable those without such experience to gain it, and that such training can best be obtained by working for farmers. " (5.) That a strong appeal should be made to farmers, through the National Efficiency Boards of Trustees and Committees of Advice throughout the Dominion, to take returned soldiers without fanning experience to enable them to gain a knowledge of general farming-work. " (6.) That in the selection of land returned soldiers shall continue to have preference after the declaration of peace."

2—H. 29a.