LAND FOR YOUNG FARMERS

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25705, 18 January 1949, Page 6

LAND FOR YOUNG FARMERS

GOVERNMENT SCHEME OUTLINED

EXPLANATION BY MR L. W. MCCASKILL From Our Own Reporter OAMARU, January 17. When the rehabilitation of formter servicemen on th© land was completed, the rehabilitation scheme would be continued, with certain reservations, for settling young farmers on the land, said Mr L. W. McCaskill of Lincoln College, chairman of the Young Farmers’ Advisory Council Christchurch, at p field day held on Saturday afternoon on the North Otago Progress League’s experimental irrigation farm at Awamoko. Mr McCaskill said that the Young Farmers? Club movement was started at Five Forks, North Otago, and North Otago was the first to return replies to questionnaires sent out in connexion*with the settling of young farmers on the land. It was therefore fitting that the announcement should be made in North Otago, he saidIt was now two years since the first steps wore taken to produce a scheme Of land settlement suited to the needs of Young Farmers’ Chib members, said Mr MeCaskill. At first there was a poor response to the circulars sent out but this year there were 3500 replies to 7000 circulars. The deputation that waited on the Minister of Finance (Mr W. Nash) and the Minister of Rehabilitation (Mr C. F. Skinner) was well received, he said. Proposals Ry Minister Mr Skinner had outlined the scheme as follows: 1’ intended to carry over the rehabilitation scheme , with certain reservations. For example, said Mr Skinner, the grading of applicants under the scheme might require more care. At present th© Rehabilitation Department “kept an eye” on men established on farms, and to a certain extent supervised operations where necessary*. Unless the young farmers themselves were prepared to undertake similar duties with a member financed into the purchase of a farm, it might be necessary to lay down stricter pules for grading, 2. Candidates would be required to satisfy grading committees that they had the necessary farming experience and ability to undertake the management of a farm. 3. The matter was not yet settled, but a farin training scheme similar to that m existence under the rehabilitawon scheme was envisaged. 4. There would be not a set standard, or basic educational requirements, byt candidate? would have to satisfy grading committees that they had the necessary ability to undertake farm management. 5. Finance up to 100 per cent, was contemplated up to loan limits. These hdd not been decided, Rut existing limits under the rehabilitation scheme £5006 for a dairy farm and £6500 for a sheep farm. 6. There was ho indication of what interest rate would be charged other than that it would be the rate ruling ated^ 6 tbe scheme was inaugurThe Government had not formulated a fully-fledged plan, said Mr Skinner, and it was not possible at this stage to lay down anv hard-and’-fast rules covering the scheme. Drift to Cities McCaskill said that there were 10,000 members of Young Farmers’ Clubs, and there were hundreds, perhaps, thousands, of young farmers who would not be able to take over their fathers’ farms because there were more than one son in tfia family. In many cases it was going to take all th© family finances to enable the older boy to take over the farm. There was a constant .cry about the drift to the cities, but if was not due to a lack of interest, but to a lack of hope, he said. Rbder the rehabilitation scheme, he said. 6771 former servicemen were settled on the land. Of those, 4700 found the owners willing to sell their farms Tw.o-thirds of the settlement was due to the efforts of the former servicemen themselves, and he felt sure the same thing should apply to the Young Farmers’ Club scheme. He congratulated North Otago on starting an outstanding farming in New Zealand.