FARMS FOR SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2676, 24 January 1916, Page 8

FARMS FOR SOLDIERS

HOW THE PROBLEM WAS FACED AFTER THE BOER WAR.

At the conclusion of the. Boer war special efforts were made ill South Africa to settle ex-soldiers on fclie land. These soldiers included 'Australians, Canadians, South Africans, and Britons. Mr. Dipby Noy Johns, of AVollongough Station, near Wyaloug, New South Wales, was a member of the District Land Commission appointed for this purpose in the Transvaal, and (says the "Sydney" Morning Herald"), believing that the experience gained might have a suggestive value in dealing with the problem which Australia has now set itself, he has furnished a statement (which is being circulated among the war councils of the several States), giving particulars of the methods adopted and the results achieved.

An outstanding feature of the South African scheme was the consideration shown to seriously wounded soldiers. Lord Milner expressly desired. 4 that this should be done, and, according to Mr. Johns, this preferential treatment involved risks which, for business reasons, could not have been taken >ij:h the general run of soldier or civilian applicants. It was Lord Milner's opinion that not only were wounded soldiers entitled to a start at farming with working capital and stock on easy terms, but he considered that where a nation depended on. the volunteer system for the defence of her territory and freedom, it was a short-sighted policy not to treat wounded men with terms liberal to tho extent of being lavish. It was decided that while unwounded applicants wore required to possess or to be able to command capital to the extent of £300 and to put ill two years' preliminary work on an approved farm, wounded soldiers should be allotted holdings without having to serve any term of apprenticeship, even though they had no previous experience of farming. Departmental officers were appointed to instruct, supervise, and assist these wounded- settlers, even to the extent of securing labour for them.

At first the department built houses in advance for wounded settlers but as these proved a source of endless trouble and complaint.tho practice was abandoned after tho first year. The settlers hated' ready-made houses. So the department thereafter mado advances to settlers to build their own homes, on their own designs' and on sites chosen by themselves, with the result that in the majority/ of cases the buildings erected were considerably over the value that liquid have been obtained by letting contracts at the same price, and everybody was satisfied. The greatest care was taken to ensuro that tho holding allotted to a wounded soldier was sufficient to maintain him, and_ a wife and .fansjly as well. Less highly improved farms were allotted to unwounded men, and there was little inquiry into the charactor of these soldiers, provided their military discharges and references from O.C. showed that their service in the field had been satisfactory. Only when these men applied for Government assistance did the department require to bs satisfied as to tho sufficiency of their experience. Otherwise they were required to get practical experience on approved farms.

This provision of two years' apprenticeship' for unwounded soldiers had the effect of weeding out a great number of undesirables. It was found that any applicant worth having would gladly serve the two .years with the certainty afterwards of getting a tract of State land, together with improvements and working capital to the value of £700, also a quantity of Government livestock, with a ten years' term of lease at a low graduated rental, and 50 years to pay for the holding; in other words, the chance of a splendid start in life j for which an ordinary civilian has to work 10 or 15 years to save the capital.