LAND FOR RETURNED SOLDIERS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 April 1917, Page 3

LAND FOR RETURNED SOLDIERS

Mr w. Powdroll’s Report of Dairying.

Submiltfif} to tho Federated Advisory Board.

I recommoTt securing rigsb of very bea 1 -. level land which of very fce j t quality can be cut up into areas of forty acres upwards. This area, if of best quality, will carry twenty-five cows or possibly thirty if sixteen acrea of lucorne ia grown. Some herds in Taranaki produce over three hundred pounds of buttetr fat each, and one herd I know of 340 and with a small herd of 25 -cows this 300 lbs can easily be attained by the thud year if good cows are selected.

However assuming on this best quality Dud the owner only got his herd up to 240 lbs standatd yearly at 1/3 (a safe price to ns-uaiu) or £ls per cow—£37s ; any rears 18 calves at £2 and 6 pigs at £.3 —this gives a return off 25 cows of £431 on a very low basis for yiold arid price per year for a small herd attended t:i and tested carefully. The class of land mentioned will cost from £6O to £BO per acre according to locality but a?sumiag Government to buy and re-Beil at this latter on s°/o basis, the rent and rales would amount to about £2OO leaving a profit of £231 on which to live and reduce cost price of the farm.

I advocate that the assistance of the best and most successful men in the locality be obtained before- land is purchased, also their services be obtained in selection of cows for the

poldier, becaure choice cows mi an success and money coming it. from the start and success heartens up mofct mer.. To help soldiers lam cure r.o difficulty w'll be found in getting the beat practical men ro give their services f,.r both purposes. As I have set Tel familiee on from fiUeau to twenty farms I would suggest tha same rxseibcd ba employed. The Stile to buy the farm and lease in s aall a-aa q or ratber lea'-o with compulsory purchasing clause. All milk chsqnes from factory to be a?S’gtied by died of lea ! e to Government nomine© or book-keepsr, o e third cr onf.-qutir.tr of every nulk cheque to bo kept to first reduce the Bdl of SaltKover cows and after earns ia paid off, then one-tbird or one-quirter of every cheque is stiil kept ?o reduce puicbase price of land. With the other two-thirds or three-quarters the eoldier could, with his money from calves aud pigs, easily meat his living, rent, and cropping expenees, etc. If tha land was really level and in areas of 45 acres, is might be poseibla .for the soldiers to have one shed between them on the boundary and so help to milk each other’s cows tor a year or two and take milk to the factory, saving time and horses.

Two men would much batter man* age dairying than one man and on there small f irms this would bda good plan until one of the men married and hia wifo might care to assist-. Under my Bystem ail the capital could be ussd ia stocking the farm, fencing, implements, elc., which would coat as under : £ House, half each, say ... 100 25 cows, each £ls ... 375 Shed and yards, half eaob ... 25 Harness, horses aud drayi half each ... ... 25 Cans ... ... ••• 10 Furniture and gear, half each 50 Total per man £635 Return in six weeks or tv/o months will procure living, seeds, calf foods, e-c., and help the soldier from the start. Gsre should be taken to put the soldier on the very beat land, moat suitable land, and if a worker aud practical man, ha will do really well, even if he purchases land at £IOO per acrei as I can readily prove from returns if wanted,

Oat of the fifteen or twenty farms sold by me on these terms I cannot remember a case where more than £4OO was paid to me as pnrobaee mcmy on both land and cows inclnded, aud I have never had one single failure—m fact, every family did really we 1 and some are now quite wealthy. Oaie should be takt>n not to give the soldier more land than he is capable of milk ng, otherwi o he is eiroing revenue on part and losing it on the O'her half he is unable to farm to the bast advantage. Possibly acme of the implements could b 3 used to advantage on four or six farme adjoining for several years at leatt and it is quite possible if milking maobines were needed for a start same could be obtained ou time payment system at cost of about £IOO perßbed for two,cow plant. With advent of casein, whey butter, sugar of milk, and possibly town supply, no risk whatever will occur to the State in purchasing the bed laud at £BO and if it is good locality even £IOO per acre. Possibly a Board of Trustees oonld be set up to watch over and advise the soldier for a start and this, 1 feel sure, could be done without cost to the intending farmers. Following are particulars of two farms, giving the money taken off each for milk cheques for year 19151916.

in addition to some in above Bums 1068 17 0 921 13 0 Report on orchards, Otago. A report on the following points was asked for:— 1. Cost of putting the land, per acre, into a working orchard. 2. Time aud number of years. 3. How a soldier ccnld be kept going. 4. How many acres woa'd he require. 5. Buildings and when required. 6. Average valna of crop per acre on farm and at different period’s or orchard’s growth, say, 3,5, 7 and 10 yeara. 7. The feasibility of the Government laying out the 300 acres, more or less, into section of sufficient area to give a man and wife a fair income—example :—if 10 acres would produce £SO per aore, then such a size holding would fill the bill. We received the report as follows:

I suggest twenty acres for several reasons. It is necessary to keep at least one horse, a cow end several pigs. Five acres lucerne will feed the animals and leave Borne over for aale Three acres for paddocks and vegetables etc., 12 acres in trees, and a worker should be able to make a do* from the start with lucerne, tomatoes and rabbiting, of which there is plenty. Besides this the adjoining stations need musterers, shearers, Tind rouseabouts from time to time. Re cost—Above 20 ec.e orchard means £BO, fencing trees £9O, lncerne £5, planting and cultivating £45, total £220. Building cottage

and shed, say £350/40 0, The orchards* start to pay a little at 4 years and are practically full bearing at 8 years, bnt tomatoes; gooseberries and strawberries should allow the settler a living from the start,

One orchard of 12 acres about, 10 to 12 years old nude £I4OO from fruit last year but that is very good. Many others of larger extent did not touch that figure. £1 per trees seems to be taken as full bearing average crop of fruit here, but results do not, in my opinion, justify it as average ; I should say it is top crop and that many only realise 10/ per tree avert

Bge * At five years I-3 crop, 6 years a crop, 7 years 2-3 crop, 8.10 years £ to full crop. You will probably consider 20 aerss too large but the lucerne and vegetables and cow give the settler a chance at the beginning and that 1 take it, ia what yon wish. I would suggest ploughing the sections in one lot if possible. A ring fence of wire netting would save a deal of moneyi Tbe dividing fences could be only for keeping stook ont, Buildings need only be put up when mau wishes to live on section. Perhaps a scheme far repayment after sis to e'ght years at say £IOO per aore could be arranged. What I wish you to understand is that when place is fenced, planted and all initial cultivation done a worker can get work outßide, bnt should do all right with lneerne to sell and tcmatoes etc,, too.

121 ac. 103 ao. £ a d £ B d Jnly 3 4 0 August 36 0 0 29 17 0 September 66 10 0 67 7 0 October 111 8 0 92 3 0 November 138 4 2 96 11 0 December 116 9 0 107 0 0 January 92 15 0 89 3 0 February 137 1 6 71 19 0 March 41 8 0 58 12 0 April 62 12 4 138 10 0 May 14 7 0 32 1 0 Bonuses 246 18 0 138 10 0