The Levin State Farm.

Manawatu Herald, 20 May 1899, Page 3

The Levin State Farm.

Three years ago we had oacassion to comment upon the farce of what is called a State Farm at Levin, and on the absurdity of stumping newly fallen bush to plant fruit trees in. In speaking at Wellington the other night; Mr John Hutcheaon, the labour member for Wellington, told his hearers of his visit to that farm with Victorian Commissioners, and his statement fully, confirms our forcast of what would occur. We take the report of Me Hutche3on's speech from 'the Post :— " What he found was Desolation ! Desolation t It was perfectly depressing. He went there with a kindly feeling towards the farm, and the desire to se9 it in the germs of the solution of the labour problem, but he was disappointed. There were a few old people — perhaps 20 altogether — about fho place, but there was not the evidence of even a Yankee Planet Junior implement (laughter). Thoy were ecraping the surface of the soil only, and scraping it with a burnt stick. He wag not blaming the bead of the Department, because he had almost a hobby for the farm. The fact was it was starved. There were 50 acres in tillage, which they dignified by the name of an orchard but over the whole area sorrel was growing so thickly that you could not find soil with the point of your finger. And yet it was told that the soil} in parts was two or three feet deep. The apple trees were put in without any method at all, and had had the blight there, and had cut the trees down to stumps and a bit of a twig (laughter). As for the creamery ; I they had a little bit of a toy — a kind of " spinning Jenny." The Instructor was called, and he described it for the benefit of the visitors, but so much did he know about it that all he (the speaker) could get out of him was " You put the milk in there, and the whey squirts out over there." The Manager, he was told, was energetic; but that was only hearsay. He was telling them what he saw. The Manager was reputed a regular " grafter," but what fie (the speaker) wanted to know was did anybody else (< graft." He asked who the Manager was, and the reply given was that he was formerly a bootmaker from Wanganui, and that he knew John Ballauce very well. Judging by the results of hia man* agement there was nothing at all to be " biggoty " about over the Levin State Farm, and he was thoroughly humbled over our experiment.