EXPORT OF BRAINS FROM N.Z.

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 32, 23 May 1947, Page 3

EXPORT OF BRAINS FROM N.Z.

HIGH PRODUCTION TARGET Typical of what is being accomplished by many rehabilitation-fin-anced ex-servicemen farmers is the j case of ex-Divisional Cavalryman C. P. Jennings. This returned soldier, who also served for a period with the Graves Registration Unit, came to New Zealand originally from England under the Flock House Scheme. The continuing interest of Flock House (or the Sheepowners’ Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen Fund) in their former protegees was exemplified in a substantial grant made to Mr Jennings by that organisation to assist him with his rehabilitation on the land.

When Mr Jennings took over his

90-acre Manawatu farm last year he found there was much to be done before it came up to the high standard he has set himself to achieve. The war years had taken their toll, and he had to set to work clearing gorse, laying down new pastures and installing proper drainage. Much of this,' together with some very necessary concrete work, he has already accomplished, but the bulldozer is still sweeping the gorse and scrub jErom the outer slopes, preparing the way for the plough and next season’s sowings. The bulldozer is owned and operated by another ex-serviceman who has been financed by rehabilitation as an agricultural contractor. Justifiably pleased with his progress, Mr Jennings, who contributed a tidy sum of his savings over and above the loan, is very satisfied

with the assistance he has received

and continues to receive by way of helpful and systematic advice from the visiting farm appraisers. He has increased his-milking herd from 33 to 46 and hopes to bring the total progressively to 60. A neighbour recently made him a present of a bull calf by a proven Jersey bull, while he also received a yearling heifer from the district gift calf scheme. Both these youngsters are doing wgll. Not many miles distant from Mr Jennings, in dairying country where every farm in five seems to be a re-habilitation-financed property, . is another ex-serviceman who feels he has reason to be more than pleased with the treatment he has received. He is Mr A. L. Satherly, who served over four years with the Division in the desert and Jtaly. He expects to milk 35 cows on his property which at present carries 30 to such good purpose that in two months of almost off-season he cleared his expenses for the year. The other ten months, including the full flush of the season, the proceeds are all his, to “put in the sock,” or to do what he likes with. What he is doing is making some very commendable improvements and it should. not be long before he reaches his anticipated butterfat production of 90001bs. a year.

A Railways employee before the war, but with a farming background Mr Satherly, did a six-months training course prior to taking over. Had it not been for strong departmental efforts he might have missed the chance of obtaining the property. This he frankly admits and adds that those same departmental efforts were directly responsible for his buying the farm at a reasonable price.

Both Mr Jennings and Mr Satherly are typical of the industrious young ex-servicemen farmers who are out to make a job of their rehabilitation and incidentally aim at the highest possible production mark. Everything points to their being on the sure road to success.