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1922. NEW Z E ALAN J).

DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY. DISCHARGED SOLDIERS SETTLEMENT. REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1922.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 14 of the Discharged, Soldiers Settlement Act, 1915.

C 0 NTEN T S. General Report : — Page ] Appendix— continued. Page Review of Position .. .. .. ..1 Table 2. —Applications received and Land allotted 17 Lands opened and available .. .. .. 2 Table 3. —Total Lands acquired by Discharged Legislation .. .. .. .. .. ;i Soldiers .. .. .. .. ~ 18 Regulations .. .. .. .. .. i! Statement of Advances authorized .. .. 18 Financial Review ... . . . .. 4 Statement of Mortgage Transactions .. .. 1!) Appendix • Supplementary Statistical Table .. 21 Reports of Commissioners of Crown Lands .. 8 Discharged Soldiers Settlement Account— Table I. —Lands proclaimed for Settlement during Transactions for Year .. .. .. 23 Year .. .. • ■ .. .. 16 Halancc-shect .. .. .. 24

Sir, — Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, 16th August, 1922. In accordance, with the, provisions of the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1915, I have the honour to submit herewith the report of the operations under the Act for the year ended 31st March, 1922. I have, &0., J. B. Thompson, Under-Secrotary. The Hon. D. IT. Guthrie, Minister of Lands.

EBPOET. When the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1915, was passed and came into operation the following year, it provided that Crown and settlement land should be set apart for occupation by discharged soldiers, and that advances should be made to enable'them to improve and utilize their holdings. The various amendments to the Act, particularly that of 1917, extended the Government's policy and authorized advances being made to discharged soldiers to enable them to purchase farms, develop same, pay ofi mortgages on land held by them, and to purchase or erect houses for their personal occupation. Moreover, the scope of the Act was widened, and not only did it apply to members of the Expeditionary Forces who had left Now Zealand and served abroad, but many of its privileges were extended to members of the Expeditionary Forces who were in camp at the time of the Armistice, or who had been classed medically fit for active service and served in a trainingcamp. It will thus be seen that the Government undertook obligations towards a very large section of the community. To completely fulfil all the requirements of the many entitled to apply necessarily involved very large expenditure by the Government, which, however, grappled with the problem in a wholehearted manner. Land has been set aside from time to time, and up to the end of last year 1,367,701 acres of land had been proclaimed under the Act. Many discharged soldiers took advantage of the opportunities afforded them of selecting land under the liberal tenures offered, and

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