SMALL FARM SCHEME

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 52, Issue 248, 2 August 1932, Page 7

SMALL FARM SCHEME

OFFICERS IN CONFERENCE. SUITABLE AREAS SCARCE. (Special to the "Guardian ") CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. A statement that great difficulty was being experienced in Canterbury in securing suitable areas of land for the settlement of unemployed men under the Government's small farm scheme was made by Mr R. McGiliivray (Fields Superintendent of the Department of Agriculture at Christchui'ch) when interviewed in connection with a conference of officers controlling- the scheme in Wellington Mr McGiliivray said that he had been in Wellington last week, "but the visit of officers .to headquarters was not made for the purpose of "burying the small farm plan," as, he understood, had been stated in certain quarters. Certain phases of the small farm plan had required consideration, and it was for the purpose of discussing various points that certain senior officers had visited Wellington last week. "Very few people not in actual contact with the Government's small farm plan have any idea of the amount of work entailed or of the actual scope of the scheme, and of the difficulties encountered at times in connection with it," Mr McGiliivray said. "In this scheme some uniformity Ts necessary throughout the Dominion, and as a result of the conference 'I feel sure that the necessary measure of uniformity has been secured.". Many Suitable Men. Mr McGiliivray said that at Christchurch a large number of very suitable men were available for settlement under the small farm plan, but very great difficulty was being experienced in arranging for suitable areas of land on which to establish them. In some districts the District Committees had been active, but in all cases they had found difficulty in securing suitable areas on leasehold tenures, as in most cases landowners wished to sell. But the scheme was being pushed on, he said ,and he highly appreciated the interest shown by some of the committees, and also the assistance ho had received from the district organisers associated with him in carrying out the work.