DEVELOPING LAND

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 12, 5 September 1931, Page 4

DEVELOPING LAND

INTENSIVE FARMING PLAN "GIVING BETTER LIVING." "The question of the outlying districts has always given me serious thought," stated Hon. A. E. Ransom (Minister of Lands) at a gathering which followed the official opening ot the new bridge over the' Manawatu River at the Woodville end of thp Gorge. ' ' "Th'ere are vast areas to be, developed, and during the tiiae I have been Minister of Lands 130,000 acres of what was formerly waste country have heen brought into production The problem that' had to be faced w&s one of increased production, and it is authoritatively indicated that we cannot hope for an early or immediate reverslon to the. prices ■ which have ruled^ for a period of years*. There--fore the primary producer, tb succeed, must aim at increased production 'at a lower marlcet value, in which directlon good progress is already being made. */• ' "Although success has already attended the efforts of the farmers in this connection there are still further advances to be made in attaining this object. There can be intensive farming under the rotational grazirig system, which has been made possible for the farmer by the experiments Of the- Agricultural Department." "Under the new system farms -that have previously supported one family can now support three .families an-l give them a better living. The Lands Department has several blocks in process of preparation for settlement, a'nd in the centre'of each farm a'demonstration farm is being establishei to indicate what can be and should be done ' op farms. A's soon as the settlers are installed on the farms a good class of stock with - pedigroe grass seed only would be supplied, and the farmer would be set off in small holdings that* will enable them to make good. The Economic 'Committee now sitting is giving more consideration to the rehahilitation of ths farmer thap to anything else."