Farm Labour.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 February 1913, Page 4

Farm Labour.

AUCKLAND, February 20. Tlio Government's promise to pi', j vido farm labourers with small hold ' ings, thus inducing more labour t go into the country districts and a the same time to give the laboure a chanco to bocymo an independen settler, bids fair to result in defi nite action being taken very shortly The first step towards the adoptioi of the scheino was taken in Auck kind to-day, when Mr J. Loma (Secretary of the Labour Depart ment) and Mr J. D. Ritchie (Lam Purchase Commissioner), conferrei with the executive of tbo provincia branch of the Now Zealand Farmers Union. The scheme was hist pro moted by the. Farmers' Union, am the definite proposals for the estab lislimeut of small holdings wen drawn up a short time ago by th< Union's executive, and submitted tx the Primo Minister by a deputatior recently. Theso proposals have bcei put into concise form, and were dis cussed by the conference. The ob jects of the scheme wihcli were explained and discussed are as follow :— (1). To provide homes in th( country for workers who will not lie solely dependent upon work obtainable in a district. (2). To provido casual labour i'oi districts where it is required. (3). To offer inducements to mai l'ied men capable of general farm work to remain in tbo district by the knowledge that the life is better in every way and their expenses lighter, that they have an opportunity of rearing their families, and that their interests aro identical with their employers. (4). The men by being thrifty and conforming to certain coditions fan purchase tbo freehold of the land under the easiest conditions, thus providing at least « living in itself il fanned rightly. (5). The men would by being producers themselves advance an industry. on the success of which New Zealand is practically dependent. Ihe T'armors' Union has gone carefully into the ways and means of working such « scheme and making it a practical asset to farming conditions in the Dominion. The suggestions how it is to be accomplished aro summarised as follow:— (1) The Government to provido land in districts requiring labour an. 1 to erect suitable cottages thereon: the area for each home to be not les.than five acres of first-class land but should the quality of the law 1 decrease then there should bo an in crease of area accordingly, and in no case more than 30 acres of inferior land. (2) The tenure under which tin Government should offer these sec tions would he occupation with right of purchase. (3). Applicants should hav\ knowledge of farming, and bo houno to conditions agreeable to tbo Government for the carrying out successfully of the scheme, csns reach ing the aims for which it was i« tended. The means of determining when these small holdings are to be estab lished would lie the requests f'ron districts which would avail them selves of advantages of such scheme, and from re ! sponsible settlers guaranteeing tin interest would then decide the number of sections to lie allotted, which should on <ni account exceed the requirements of the district. Upon the completion of the survey and the erection of the cottages thereon the Government would hand over the control of tbo property to a recognised committee of guarantors, thy Government to retain the right to resume the control of the property/at any time upon relieving the guarantors of all responsibility. Both Mr Lomas and Air Ritchie expressed their hearty approval of the scheme, and the conference dis- ■< cussed at length the details of putting it into working ordei*. I order to ensure the Governinon't against financial loss tho Fanners Union Executive suggested that settlors who benefited by tho extra labour would bo willing to pay the interest on the money expended by the Government in acquiring the no-

cc-ssary land. As the result of the >conference Mr Lomas and Mr I?itcliio asked the executive of tlio Farmer!*' IJjiioii to write to the various ianiiing districts to inquire:— (!) What- labour •ivas wanted. (2) The average price of the land. (3). The general conditions for farming in each district. (4) If any of tlio farmers in each district would would pro-vido Land for the purpose of the scheme, and if so. at what cost. As soon ap. this information has heen gathered, Mr Lomeis stated that the Government \yould send out qualified won to visit/each district, and report upon the proposals to Mr Ritchie* and himself.- who, when they had satisfactory openings of putting them into force, would recomoncT. the Government, to genorfllly adopt the scheme.