C—9

2

KB POET. PART [.—SETTLEMENT DURING YEAR. 1. Settlement during the year has steadily progressed, as may be seen by reference to the attached tables, although in a comparatively small proportion to the extent that may be expected when the Main Body of the Expeditionary Force returns to New Zealand. On the Ist April, 1916, only two soldiers had been settled; on the Ist April, 1917, there were -'544, who had acquired 166,526 acres of land under the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act and other Acts; whilst on the 31st March, 1918, twelve months later, there was a total number of 638 discharged soldiers who held between them 257,943 acres, showing that nearly 300 more soldiers had taken up land and were eligible to obtain advances from the Government under the provisions of the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act. 2. In addition to the foregoing figures, sixty-nine members of the Expeditionary Force have acquired 138,452 acres of land under the Land Act. 3. Ft is noticeable that there is a much greater demand from soldiers for land in the North than in the South Island. In the former all that is acquired is taken up readily, but in tho latter much good land is awaiting settlement. 4. Some very good settlements were opened for selection during the year, and in accordance with the law were offered to the settlers at the cost of acquisition, plus necessary expenses. The tenures under, which land may be held are specially suited to meet the needs of the settlers. The rentals payable under the leases represent but a moderate rate of interest on the Government's outlay. The settlers have the right to acquire the freehold either by payment in cash or on deferred payments. This freehold provision does not however apply to cases where the land is national endowment or education reserve. 5. The progress made by settlers throughout the Dominion has been generally satisfactory, and in the majority of cases they appear to be of a good stamp and likely to make successful use of their holdings. The reports of the Commissioners of Crown Lauds, published in the appendix to this report, show what has been done in each district, and contain some interestingparticulars as to the progress of soldier settlements generally. 6. Very great interest is taken by the Returned Soldiers' Association Clubs and Settlers' Associations of various classes in the general question of land-settlement, and many divergent views have been forwarded to the Government. These have all been considered, and where valuable suggestions have been made they have been adopted. It must, however, again be reiterated that it is a practical impossibility to settle all soldiers in the same manner. Some associations are of opinion that soldiers should only be placed on improved lands; others urge that if they arc placed on unimproved and- bush lands the settlers' efforts in clearing will materially enhance the value of their land and give them a better opportunity; and there are others again who are of opinion I hat fully equipped fruit-farms, dairy farms, &c, should be provided for the soldiers. The policy of the Government has always been to provide as far as possible land suitable for all classes of applicants, and in accordance with this policy suburban lauds suitable for marketgardening, small farms, dairy farms, fruit-farms, areas for bee-keeping, pastoral country, unimproved country, and partly improved country have been made available, and the Land Boards, when dealing with applications from returned soldiers, endeavour to settle them on holdings suitable to their experience and training. In settling valuable land it is desirable that as far as possible the settlers should be able to utilize it to the best advantage from the beginning of their tenanoy, but in some cases it has been found that their farming qualifications have not been sufficient to enable them to do this, with the result that discontent has been expressed with holdings wliich in more experienced hands would have provided an ample livelihood. 7. There is a tendency amongst some of the soldier settlers to rely too much on outside labour to do the work for which Government advances have been made, instead of doing it themselves wherever possible, as " improved-farm " settlers would do. This should be discouraged, or the soldiers will soon find themselves at the end of their resources. This advice particularly applies to bush farmers, who should earn the advanoes by felling and grassing the land themselves, by which means they will gain experience in the management of land as they progress and their future will be assured. On the other hand, with labour so dear the money that may be advanced will soon fritter away, and the soldier with very little experience and no money will not be able to make the best use of the grass he has grown by contract labour. 8. As directed, two blocks of bush land in the, Mongonui County have been subdivided into farms and withheld from settlement, with a view to their prior improvement by soldiers working under a good practical manager before the allotment of the sections to them takes place. So far there is no indication that a sufficient number of the already discharged men are willing to work on the terms stated. The blocks referred to are the Tak ah ue- Whangape Block, of 6,855 acres, subdivided into twenty-five sections, and the Pareokawa Block, of 3,698 acres, subdivided into fourteen sections. 9. The Homebrook Estate, situated at Southbridge, in Canterbury, contain mo- 1,130 acres, was, after subdivision into sixteen farms, withheld from immediate settlement because of its suitability for training soldiers to farm under a manager. In this case, as in those referred to