SMALL FARMS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 211, 19 June 1933, Page 7

SMALL FARMS

WORK OF THE BOARD.

AREAS ALL IN NORTH ISLAND.

(Special to the " Guardian.'')

WELLINGTON, June 17

The Small Farm Settlement Board, which met in Wellington this week, gave tentative approval for the immediate development of approximately 8000 acres preparatory to settlement, and hopes within the next few months to have at least 20,000 acres in hand. The present areas are situated in the vicinity of Te Kuiti, Hamilton, Eotorua, Dargayille and Kaitaia. The Minister of Lands (the Hon. E. A. Eansom) explained to &< Press correspondent the importance of this activity, in relation to the problem of unemployment. If the areas were actually being settled they would afford openings for between 140 and 150 uipti, but as the land was unimproved, and had to be prepared for settlement, nearly double these numbers of men would be immediately taken out of the ranks of the unemployed, and given work in the way of clearing, stumping, road-making, fencing, etc.

Reconditioning Crown Holdings. It was announced-by the Minister, that the Unemployment Board has indicated its willingness to consider proposals for establishing camps for unemployed ih any locality to undertake the reconditioning of any abandoned . Crown securities, such as discharged "soldiers' holdings, abandoned Crown leaseholds, or properties subject, to a mortgage to the State Advances Office, the Public Trustee, Government Lite Insurance Department, etc. Active • steps are being taken in this direction, and it is hoped that the first of sucn camps will be established in the near Finally, the Minister demonstrated that there is a very strong demand for land under these conditions. W .is impossible to satisfy the whole of the applications on hand;" he said, but the applicants themselves can materially assist the organisation of development schemes by obtaining from private owners the right to lease a certain portions of their properties. It applicants can obtain an option or a suitable area at a reasonable rental, with the right to purchase within a period of ten years, such a transaction would be investigated immediately with ' a view to carrying out development, and ultimately taking off the unemployment register the men who. had been responsible for initiating the pro- '-' ject." Unemployment camps. "The Small Farms Settlement Board," Mr Ransom,' "is' closely co-operating with the Unemployment Board, and has decided that whereever desirable, unemployed camps shall be established for the purpose of developing any acquired land prior to settlement These camps cam also be established for the purpose of effecting improvements, such as. draining, clearing, logging, etc., to private lands, il their owners are prepared reasonably to compensate the board by making portions of their holdings available for the purpose of this scheme, or in any other acceptable manner. -We will seriously consider, in fact, any sound scheme which will link the unemployed with the land. ! "It is preferable that large areas should be developed in this manner, ■ say,- two or more adjoining properties, and that the scheme should be, such that labour would constitute the larg- ■ est cost,, while the quality of the land should be such as to lend itself to subdivision into self-supporting holdings.

Settlement Chances. The Minister repeated former assurances that the relief workers engaged in land development under these schemes are to get the opportunity of becoming permanent settlers on the areas in which they are employed. New settlers will be eligible to apply for sustenance allowances during the tune when there are no returns* or insufficient revenue from farming to meet living expenses. The cost of development of holdings will also be provided by the Board. "The local committees, provided tor in the Act," added\Mr Ransom, "have been set up, and the regulations will shortly be gazetted.. Members of the Advisorv Committees, who carried out such excellent work under the original scheme, will still continue to act, and I confidently expect that the Small Farms Board will have a busy time in dealing with the recommendations brought forward. Members of advisory and local committees are authorised to 1 take the initiative, without further instructions, in the investigations of possibilities in their districts.