FARMS FOR FARMERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 September 1919, Page 5

FARMS FOR FARMERS.

A PROGRESSIVE SUGGESTION ~h At Wednesday's meeting of fanner* in, } Wanganui, Mr. W. J. Poison, in die- ; cusiug the advisability of a definite ■> political platform, said they, as farmer*. Cj should have such a platform as would > ... encourage a pleasant population through- * out the country. He said he believed- ,'_, in teaching young men who were dealr- H ous of going on the land to become ' '] efficient farmers. He advocated the).' \ I establishment of practical farm BehooM '{« in every district, managed by a board J of expert farmers, and in which young i fellows could be put through n two years' course of training and be paid '' adequate w'ages while engaged on the * place. At the end of the term they ' l would be required to pass a practical ■•■! examination, after which they should be- m placed on farms acquired and stocked by 'la the State under virtually the same con- ■,;;§ ditions as now obtained in connection .-3 with the settlement of returned soldiers. ■ V-jj While under sueb a system the State " 19 might occasionally sustain a loss owing , '"M to the failure of a man to make good, '■'* the indirect benefit due to greatly in- "i creased production would prove a splen- • § did national investment. Mr. Poison said "w that much the same tiling could be dono •» for the benefit of workers in the towns.'' 'j3 Blocks of suburban land could be ' 'ij acquired, cut up, and laid out for reti- *% dental purposes, with tramways and all \ other necessary facilities, the homes to be " j handed over to the occupiers on similar ; terms to thos* ptovideu foi country set- * tiers. Ho pointed out that if this were i done it would make for a contented '■ population in both town and country, 1 and would sound the death knell of the 3 Red Feds and the Bolsheviks. J