CITY COUNCIL'S FARM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 123, 26 May 1932, Page 8

CITY COUNCIL'S FARM.

SUBDIVISION SCHEME. VISIT TO HARKINS' POINT. COMMENTS BY MAYOR. With a view to assisting to solve the unemployment problem, land settlement and rural development, a special committcc of the Auckland City Councl, insisting of the Mayor (Mr. G.W Hutehison), and Messrs. H. P. Bnrton (chairman of the Works -Committee), .1. Bloodworth, F. H. Leonard and E. J. Phelan, visited the council's farm at HarkinW Point, near Riverhead, this mornin- with a view to reporting on the advisability of cutting up the p«h perty into small farms. The city engineer, Mr. J. Tyler, accompanied the C °The far mconsists of 475 acres. It has a sea frontage to the Waitemata and Brigham's Creek, and limited road access. It is second-class land, which has been in the possession of the council since 1907, when it was taken over from contractors for the disposal of nightsoiJ. The land was then entirely unimproved, and the purchase price was £2 10/ an acre, the total outlay at the time being £1187. Since then the property has been improved, from 20 to 50 acres being "brought in" annually, until now it is clear of tea-tree aid scrub and classed as improved land. Recently the property was valued at £21 an acre. Land in the vicinity has brought a much higher figure. Stock on Farm. On the property at present there are approximately 300 sheep, 200 head of catte, and 50 horses. Last season 450 lambs were born on the estate. The city enginer is virtually manager of the farm, and his policy has been to sell the stock throughout the year as opportunity offered. The farm has also been used for breeding draught horses. Mechanically-propelled vehicles have made the demand for horses smaller and smaller, until now the surplus animals that cannot be used by the council are sold privately. The farm untif the last year or two has shown a profit. In the early days the Riverhead railway ran through the property, and a Crown road which was never formed, although surveyed. Five or Six Farms. After the inspection the Mayor stated that in his opinion it would difficult to subdivide the land into small holdings of ten or twenty acres. His view • was that if the property was cut up it should be divided into five or six farms. There was one block of reel good land facing the Riverhead Road on the western boundary that would make an excellent farm. In fact, all the property would be capable of good results if properly treated. "I am satisfied that if the council spent sufficient money in topdressing and improvements generally the land would become a good proposition as far as intensive farming is concerned," said Mr. Hutchison. "Up to the present the farm has only been used to tho extent of the needs of the council. Horses have been rested in the paddocks and tho property converted into what is known as a 'rough farm.' In the past it has not been a burden on the- ratepayers, and what we have to consider is whether the council is justified in going in for general farm operations." Tho city engineer said the council had always shown a profit of £3000 to £4000 a year as far as its stables were concerned. Mr. Bloodworth's Reasons. Mr. T. Bloodworth, who was responsible for the visit, said he was of opinion that the farm should be divided into small areas—five, ten and twentyacro sections. One of the difficulties was that a man could not work a section and go to employment in town as well. Tho farms could be worked by families, ad there should be an opening for poultry-keeping, bee farming, and fruit and vegetable growing. The small farm scheme was being established in other places, and he thought a trial might be made on the council's The improvements that had been made on the property since its purchase demonstrated what the property was capable of. He had brought the matter before the council because lie thought the best possible use was not being made of tlie farm.