SMALL FARM PLAN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 235, 26 May 1932, Page 5

SMALL FARM PLAN

FIRST STEPS TAKEN - ROTORUA COUNTY COUNCIL FORMS DISTRICT COMMITTEE AREAS CONSIDEREDThe first definite steps toward put- - ting the unemployed small farm scheme into "operation in the Rotorua district were taken yesterday,; when the* investigating officer for the Ro,torua County area,_Mr. G, S.. Dai- • gleish, met- members of the- Rotorua County Council and outlined the. d,er ... tails of tbe proposed prganisation in connectipn with the -scheme. Mern.bers of the . council— decided to- cpoperate with the Department of Agriculture, and Mr. Dalgleish, in forwarding the scheme in the county area, and constituted themselces a local committee for that purpose. As a committee, the council will • deal with all applieations from workers desirous of obtaining holdings under the scheme, and will also con.sider and investigate suitahle hpldings in the district. Mr. Dalgleish will act as investigating officer, and the committee will make the necessary recommendations to the headquarters of the department. Mr- C. H. Newson, of the departr . ment, who is in charge of the organisation in the Taupo County area, was also present at yesterday's in£Mr. Dalgleish fully outlined the proposals under the scheme along the lines already detailed in articies published in the "Morning Post," and answered a number of questions in regard to the organisation. Follow- .. ing the constitution of Jhe committee, a number of definite areas were eonsidered, and the necessary action taken for further investigation. - In reply to a question from the County chairman (Mr. H. P. For.d), Mr. Dalgleish said" that the departmental officers Would examine the land and investigate the suitability of the applicants; they would then submit a report on each individual case to the local committee which would make a suitable reeommendation to the Agricultural Department. The local committee would not actually have the final decision, but it would practically amount to that. No particular area or applicant would be approved in the face of an adverse recommendation from the local committeeCr. J. E. Martin said that farmers would require some assurance that they would not be unnecessarily interfered with by the department. Practical farming and Government experts' opinions were two different things. "Red Tape" "We cannot be bound up with red tape," said Mr. Martin/ "the people of this county must be ailowed ;to speak their minds and they are beginning to do so. As a farmer who is willing to do something, I am going to speak my mind. I will have nothing to do with any scheme which is not going to increase production. Any scheme which will not produce more lambs or more butterfat is not worth considering. Mr- Newson suggested that to forward the matter a committee should be formed so that they would know where they stood. The chairman said he was not inelined to permit any general discussion until a definite committee had been set up or until the council had signified its approval or otherwise of the proposals. He took it that it was not compulsory for the council as a whole to become the committee. Couricillors could accept or decline according to their personal inclinations. Suitable Holdings Cr. A. L. Keith asked Mr. Dalgleish wliether he considered there were many suitable small holdings in the district. Mr. Dalgleish said that he did not consider there were a great number, but there were cert tainly sufficient for them to make a start and see what they could do- The Rotorua district did not offer the same possibilities in this direction as some others. Mr. Keith then moved that the council offer its assistance to the Agricultural Department to co-oper-ate in forwarding the settlement of unemployed workers on areas of cultiva table land The motion was seeonded by Cr. R. Copeland Smith, and carried unanimously. • It was decided that sub-commit-tees consisting of the riding merAbers should be constituted. The$e two sub-committees will consist of three representatives of the North Riding and three representatives of the South. The county chairman was elected chairman of the committee. : ' Mr. Dalgleish said that he would supply each member of the committee with the necessary forms for receiving applieations for sectionsDefinite Rules Mr. Martin pointed out that no deft inite rules were provided to goverri the procedure. The ehairmari agreed this was necessary. There were ri6 rules laid dowri as to tenure, repayments of principal and so on. Mr. Dalgleish said that these would be coming to hand at an early date, aria he would immediately make thelii available.

Sections Considered - The committee then proceeded discuss a number of sections available for use under the schemB-. Seven separate areas were dealt with; and aftef reports had been receivPd from the investigating officer, it was decided that in the case of five the sections further enquiries shoujd be made before arrivirig at a defihite recommendation. a ?• t Mr. J. E- Martin placed before thb committee proposals in regard to rifi area of 200 acres on his property ht Ngongotaha, which he was prepared to make available, and it was consiffered that in this instance , thetb were excellent prospects of succe^? ful development. In bringing fofward his proposal, Mr. Martin. madp it plain that the ten-acre scheme was not altogether in accord with His own ideas, but that he was prepared to assist as.far as was possible. It was decided that the inyestigatifig officer, together with the sub -committee for the Ngongotaha area, should go into the matter with Mr. Martin and report to a later meeting. v t It was definitely decided that the seventh area under consideration wa;s unsuitable for the pufposes of. thp scheme, and that the committee had "nb recommendation to make. a '