FARMER SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 July 1916, Page 3

FARMER SOLDIERS.

THE NEW SETTLEMENT AT TAKAPAU. jUGER AND CONTENTED "COOKIES." ; (Hawke's Bay Herald). Tt was only on May Utli last that the first land ballot exclusively for discharged soldiers was drawn in the presence of the members of the Hawke's Bay Land Board at the local Lands Office. On that occasion 24 returned soldiers drew sections from the two blocks in the Takapau Survey District. Within a week or so the successful applicants were on their sections, tents were erected and within the space of a day or two they ■ were busily, almost feverishly, engaged at work on their properties. It is to the Hawke's Bay Land Board that the honor belongs of opening' up the lirst discharged soldiers' settlement. Aucland lias laid claim to this distinction but records show a> the contrary. And Takapau now shows that the ' Government's scheme for lands for discharged soldiers is going to be a big success. FARMERS FROM ANZAC. The soldier farmers at Takapau are nearly all Gallipoli boys. Altogether they are a fine stamp of men. The majority of them know something about farming when they took over the sections; they were used to roughing it at Gallipoli. Now instead of digging trendies they are sinking post holes for fences, and splitting logs for posts. The land at Takapau is first class land, well loaded and eminently suitable for settlement. The Government is advancing up to £SOO to assist each soldier, the security for the advance being the land and its improvements. Any sum up to £l,"io is advocated for the dwellings of Hit! new settlers and very wisely the soldier-farmers with an eve, to the future are erecting good serviceable structures that can be added to in time to come. The fencing is being pushed forward briskly. There are ample logs lying about the sections: these provide the posts, while the wire and staples have already been secured by the Govern, ment and can be purchased by the soldiers from Mr. W. J. v Price who has just been appointed by the Government to take charge of the settlement. TO BF READY FOR NEXT DAIRY SEASON. Already sheep are grazing on some of the sections, cows will soon join these, and it is confidently expected that by the time the dairy season opens next August milk from the discharged soldiers' settlement .vill be supplied to the nearest factory. The young farmers have evidently carried back with them from Gallipoli the spirit of camaraderiee for now as Jiey wield the axe and hammer in place of the bayonet of months before, each assists the other in improving his section. A word too, must lie said for the excellent help rendered by the neighbouring farmers. The young farmers are eager, very eager, in pushing forward their sections. They have done wonders as it is, but perhaps are too eager and do not realise that such work as they are undertaking is part of a new scheme that has to he pushed forward carefully and with an eye to the future. Their over eagerness is a good fault however, and judging from the fast growing selection, Takapav—the first land placed for the settlement of the honorably discharged soldier—promises to become a flourishing settlement.