THE MEN ON THE LAND.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 251, 13 March 1913, Page 3

THE MEN ON THE LAND.

To a <;r.i-:AT extent speculators LAX!) FAIRLY WELL FARMED. Mi'. K. < lifton. Director of Experimental Farms, submitted himself for examination to the Empire Trade Commission in Wellington. In answer to Sir Rider Hazard, lie Raid iliat farmers bad not availed themselves uf the experiments at the farms to any great extent. Tliev were beginning to do so now. They had not made full use of the farms for some years because land had been rising for some years -o 1 ipidly that fanners liad been more anxious to make money by selling land than by using it. To'a great extent farmers had become land speculators. Even at the high prices ruling, the best lands were payable for farming. The lands were exceedingly fertile, and they were used for stock-keeping mainly. This did not entail the employment of much labor, and stock could be kept very much more cheaply than in England. The lands held now some of their virgin fertility, but inevitably there would i-niiie a time when the lands would lose tbi~ fertility to some extent. This wa- being realised in some of the lighter lands. The Xew Zealand farmer was mainly a <rra::ier, but gencraMv the land of Xew Zf aland was being fairly well farmed. There was a distinct set from the country to the towns in Xew Zealand, and this How of population Out of the country districts was a serious source of trouble to the agriculturalist. A man bad more amenities in the town, and get higher wages, and probably more regular work in town. One of the reasons operating to bring about tiie drift to the town* was that not sufficient accommodation for men was provided liy fanners. Xo cottages were 1 mil I for men. and when farm laborers married taev often came to town. As a result. the accommodation at the farms was limited and indifferent, and there was no provision as a rule for married men. This shortage of farm labor in the country led to the laying down of land in grass, rather than keeping it in cultivation, and hampered development. Thi- matter of improving the land was one of paramount importance. It was proposed now that something should lie 'lone to build workers' homes in farming districts. To Mr. Sinclair: lie had known many farmer-, to sell good farms with good homesteads simply because they could not get labor. To Sir Alfred Ratcman: Very few farmers keot accounts: they mostly relied on tbe'r agents or their bank to give 1 hem (heir annual balance. To Mr. Tatlow: On limited area's dairying w- by far the most profitable form of farming. To Mr. <'!;•. rnett: Xo doubt to some extent work on farms was unpopular because there was certain necessary work, such as attending to stock, to be done on Sundays. To Sir Edgar Vincent: The Xew Zealand farmer was liberal and intelligent in t!ie use of fertilisers. In this he was assi-ted 1: V the Agricultural Department. but also very largely by the chief importers and manufacturers of fertilisers.