FARMS FOR WAR HEROES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2734, 31 March 1916, Page 8

FARMS FOR WAR HEROES

FREE TRAINING' FOR DISABLED.' The orcaiionof little village; comimmiticsof at.least.a. hundred families is tho basis !of a ..'scheme,for.the settlement on the land.: of, our .fighting, men after the ; war (saystho.."Daily MniV'V The proposal is made by Lord Selborne's committee, whose other most notable suggestions are: • ;■_ The State to have power to acquire tie necessary land. : steps to be takeii to acquire an<T~eauip' 5000 acres for three pioneer-colonies. ■ The small holders to be tenants of,'the; State, rents to be sufficient-to-,recoup the capital outlay and.part.of the man-, agemont. expenses. ~'■;"..\ .--.- _ .' '.' : L. resident; .director - and .an agricultural or a horticultural instructor for each colony. ! ■- . .'-• ' Each colony to hare a co-operative credit society, the State holding shares equal to os. for each acre. Depots for the collection and ' disposal of,produce and a store for the sale of requirements.' '.' •'•■ Part of each colony to be a- central. farnV-from which horses, . implements, etc., can be hired to settlers. -;';.Funds_ to be provided by the State for training disabled men, who are then to have preference as tenants. ■>.. No man' is to bo allowed to take up a holding unless he has had the necessary experience, men without such experience to be' offered.,employment at wages, in the first instance. :' The colonies are to be.laid out so that more land can be added to holdings.■': The social:side or the settlers'.life is not overlooked, and clubs 'are' to ;be,_established forl their .wives'.; ',/■'.'; •.."'. -The.'committee ask with .which to' make ji start. . "If a man is prepared-:to.'work;_hard. and make; full •use bf : the expert guidance and business organisation provided," the committee state,- "there;'is', no reason why h'e should.;npt ;,nmkei a reasonably living.!'--The prospects are at least as good'asHhdse offered in the Dominions, 'the 1 committee :add,,'in a note suggesting . object is to . prevent a wholesale'emigration of ex-Seryico'meri, ''the;-flower of our agricultural population.". ■.-A. .strong propagandist campaign to advertise the scheme, h; -urged. ■Landowners,' the, committee susgest, should be invited to offer to the Board •of Agriculture, any large farms which become' wrilet.' County councils are urged to provide small holdings for men not desiring: to go to State settlements.