REHABILITATION

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3293, 28 July 1943, Page 4

REHABILITATION

(To the Editor.)

Sir, — 1 have read with interest letters from correspondents and have studied public statements of leaders of the farming industries and also, politicians regarding the rehabilitation of servicemen on the land and beyond the assertion that we will not make the same mistakes as were made after the last war I have not been inspired by any of their suggestions. Some say limit the borrowing capacity to a definite sum, say £6OOO. I am inclined to think this will not be a solution because one man with initiative and resourcefulness might be able to handle £20,000' just as economically and as easily as anothei* could £lOOO.

Now, Sir, I would like to make a suggestion or two that our leaders may consider and possibly improve upon.

When the present Government fixed the guaranteed price it was calculated at a wage return of £4 10s per week plus free house, but unfortunately, practice does not always work out according to plain. In the majority of cases much less is returned to the farmer and even if it did that return 5 is much less than the returns for the average 40-hour week in town, therefore that price will have to be raised for the ex-servicemen at least.

Regarding valuations, I maintain that the only way to arrive at a valuation on the ’ productive capacity is for a nominal valuation to be struck at not more than a capital of £so' per cow with a period of probation say two. or three years when the initiative and productivity of each section and holder would have a reasonable possibility of being* assessed. In the case of a man whose initiative had exceeded expectations I would say he should not be penalised or in other words, rackrented.

Thirdly, the purchase of stock should be on the basis of proved quality not as after the last war, so much per head, whether they were cows or billy goats. Trusting I have not encroached too much on your valuable space;—l am, etc., G. D. SEXTON. Patetonga, 26:7:43.