COST OF A GOVERNMENT FARM

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 220, 6 December 1927, Page 14

COST OF A GOVERNMENT FARM

Weraroa Loses £5,700 Last Year SOME INTERESTING FIGURES “Cynicus” writes: Most Government Departments lose money when they launch a barque on the stormy seas of business and commerce, but a farmers’ Government ought to know something about running a farm. Apparently it doesn’t, and its farming enterprises are as unremunerative as most of the ventures financed by the taxpayer and run by State-paid officials whose salaries are not dependent on the results achieved. The writer recently received a statement of the farm working account of the Agricultural Department’s Central Development Farm, Weraroa, and the figures are illuminating: SUMMARY FOR 12 MONTHS, TO 31/3/27 To— Stock on band £7,954 Wages, etc 2,900 Purchases 1,308 Sundries 5,078 Interest and dep. .. 4,322 Management 1,450 £23,012 By— Sales stock £3,536 Sales produce 1,569 Sundries 295 Credits . . . 3,287 Stock on hand .. .. 8,618 Loss 5,707 £23.012 The running of the farm involves the payment of the following: Manager, £485; stock overseer, £345; agricultural overseer, £280; gardener, £255; clerks »(2), £450; other wages, £1,982. The statement of assets seems to furnish the explanation why the farm is a show place rather than a business proposition: STATEMENT OF ASSETS Land (764 J acres) .. .. £18,560 Buildings, fencing, etc... 25,992 Furniture 760 Tools, etc 929 Stock 5,683 Crops and stores 3.205 i £55.129 I The value of the work done at Weraroa and its influence on the agricultural development of the Dominion may be considerable; on the other hand it would be quite easy to get up an argument on the subject, and if anyone said that it was not worth £5,700 a year the writer wouldn’t impeach his veracity.