TRAINING FARM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 June 1941, Page 6

TRAINING FARM

AVAILABLE FOR RETURNED ! SOLDIERS PROPERTY IN SPLENDID ORDER. FINANCIAL POSITION NEVER BETTER. A. suggestion that the facilities of (lie Wairarapa Training Farm should be placed al the disposal of soldiers returning from the present conflict who wish to take a course in farm training is made by Mr Duncan McGregor, chairman of the trustees of the property. Mr McGregor points out that the Training Farm has never been in a better financial position to offer this course and that the property is well improved and developed lor that purpose. He is sure the trustees would welcome the opportunity' of being able to assist returned men.

The Training Farm, which was acquired in 1918 and established in 1919, primarily for the training of returned soldiers desirous of taking up farming, and to be used later for agricultural education, consists of an area of 736 acres at Penrose, of which 436 acres were purchased by the Wairarapa Patriotic Association with funds contributed by settlers, 330 acres of the area included in the farm being donated by Sir William Perry, Government grants totalling £ll,OOO were made towards the cost of erecting buildings and of the development of the farm. The value of Sir William Perry’s gift of 330 acres at £24 per acre was £7920. At its establishment, the Training Farm was vested in the Government and. in their task of administration, the Trustees have had at all times the assistance and co-operation of the Department of Agriculture. The presenttrustees are: Mr Duncan McGregor (chairman), Sir William Perry, Messrs F. Court, C. L. Reynolds, A. E. Reid, F. Brazendale and N. Blatchford (farm manager). The Director-General of Agriculture (Mr A. H. Cockayne), is the Government representative. A deputy is empowered to represent him when necessary.

No time was lost in putting the farm into use in the training of returned soldiers. Buildings having been erected and. other necessary preparations macle, 53 returned men were trained from 1919 to 1921. From 1921 onwards, on account of slump conditions, no further returned soldiers applied for training, and the farm thereafter was conducted as a mixed one, devoted principally to sheep farming and dairying. The completion of the training of returned soldiers left the farm rather heavily burdened with debt. This last included a bank overdraft of £BOOO and further debt to a substantial amount. When an attempt was made some years ago, with the co-operation of the Department of Education, to promote a scheme of agricultural training, there were hardly any applications from intending trainees. In spite of the years of extreme depression of agricultural industry through which, the Dominion and the rest of the world passed, the Training Farm has been administered and developed so capably by the trustees that it stands today as a highly improved property in first-class condition, entirely free of debt. During the period of its administration, the farm has been improved greatly by drainage, the subdivision of paddocks, etc. The pastures have been established in certified grasses and clovers.

During the past few years pupils of the Wairarapa College agricultural class have been given practical instruction at the farm. It has been maintained. that, the experience gained by the boys under these conditions is of inestimable value. Under this scheme, every week up to three boys enrolled in the college agricultural class received a week's practical instruction in farm work at the Training Farm. The use of the farm for the training of returned soldiers would not affect the arrangements for giving instruction to the college pupils.