FAMILY FARMS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 4, 28 September 1937, Page 6

FAMILY FARMS

Our Own Correspondent.)

& - Waikato Developmerit % Praised _____ ^ MUCH ACCOMPLISHED

(From

HAMILTON, Sept. 19. Keen supfcort for small farm scbemes was given by the Minister of Agriculture, tbe Hon. F. Langstone, and the honorary manager of the Waikato Land Settlement Society, Mr. D. V. Bryant, in the course of addresses given at a meeting held at Karakariki. The meeting was conven^d by Mr. Bryant, who explained to the Minister what the society had done in developing lands at Karakariki, Kairangi, and Wharepapa. Mr. Bryant said that certain sections had now been sufiieiently 'developed t° enable tlie society to allot them to suitable cnen. The society had received£27,000 from the public and had und'ertakeu tho developm'ent of about 8000 acres. Sections of about 50 acres each had been alienated, and were being sold to the men at values ranging from £17 to £30 an acro. "The men were being given usehold tenures, and they would have no interest in the spculative values of tho areas. Sections could not be sold without the consent of the society, and the Minister of Lands, whose department now had an interest in the society 's scbemes, was represented on the boaTd of directors. Mr. Bryant saic1 he considered tho prosperity of New Zealand dependod on the family-conducted farms of about 50 acres. In bis opinion the guaranteed price was sufficient to provide a family farming an area of 50 acres witb a coaifortable living and with rcserves for the future. When a farmer had to pay for labour the position was different, and the speaker believed that many of the bigger dairy farms would have to be subdivided or used for other forms of production. Mr. Bryant said he tbought dairy production could only be maintained at its present level by increasing the num ber of small farmers. The guaranteed price was a splendid one for the family farmers. Mr. Langstone spoke in terms of the highest appreciation of the work of tbe Waikato Land Settlement Society and of the way it had helped to develop family life on the land. 4>nything that could be done locally or nationally for the benefit of family life could not be too bighly praised. In the work of the Small Farms Board there had been the greatest co-operation between departments. There were 70 small farms scheoies in band, witb 68Q occupants, said the Minister. Some 980 men were employed on the work, and 05,000 acres wero being developed. Tho amount expended on the Small Farms Scheme to date was £937,000, including £204,000 contributed by the Unemployment Dopartnient. The stock included 7033 dairy cows, 30,000 sheep, and 2422 run cattle, a total of 39,445, the value of wliicb was, at current prices, £123,000.