MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 41, 16 February 1918, Page 10

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE.

[VISIT TO HAMILTON

<From Our Own Correspondent.)

i- HAMILTON., this day. ' The Hon. W. D. S. 3laeDonald, Minister of Agriculture, spent the morning ©f yesterday in Hamilton. In an interview he stated that the question of abattoirs for Hamilton would have to be iaced, and he -would look into the matter upon his return to Wellinjfton. The position 13 that several sites have been fixed upon by the Borough Council which have been duly approved by responsible officers of the Department, but fin view of the objections Taised by property owners in the neighbourhood the authorities have held the matter up. Stie Council thereupon formally decided •that " when the Department find a site dfor abattoirs, to which no possible objection, can be urged by property owners, the Council would be prepared to consider the erection of such abattoirs." End there the matter now rests. ißeferring to the settlement oi returned Eoldiers, Mr. Mac Donald stated that 600 returned men had been placed upon the Hand, and though thr.re had not been snuch inquiry for the lands specially eet m.side, the applications were increasing.. The chief drawback was the high price of land, stock, and farm materials of all torts. Wherever suitable land can be purchased at a reasonable price the Government was securing it, and it had now some 500,000 acres reserved for soldiers. Every care had to be exercised that the land purchased was made into a payable proposition. Referring to the State farms, the Minister stated that despite many difficulties, work was proceeding ; satisfactorily. The chief obstacle was the scarcity of experts. About 100 officers had gone to the front, and others ' would booh he called up. It was practically impossible to get suitable men, either in the Dominion or from outside, at present. But on the whole the work was well maintained, and the fanning community is well satisfied. Alluding more particularly to Ruakura, he paid a high compliment to work •being done there by the manager (Mr. A. ■ Vf. Green) and hia staff. lie stated that his Department was in communication with the Education Department re the reserve adjoining the farm. The 'Agricultural Department did not rush to purchase the land, but they have prepared to take it in hand and bring it into profitable cultivation if suitable arrangements could be made. (The reserve referred to adjoins the Ruakura * arm, and its condition provides a H ESfcTS'Ky the escellent °«*