'Pioneer spirit not dead’

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33778, 26 February 1975, Page 7

'Pioneer spirit not dead’

(N.Z. Press Association)

HAMILTON, February 24

The crisis in confidence that was said to have shaken farmers was not being displayed by applicants for Crown farms, said the Undersecretary of Agriculture (Mr Barclay) at a Waikato University seminar on the meat and wool industries, tonight.

The 20 sheepfarms put up for ballot this year had attracted a response which was “staggering in the circumstances”, Mr Barclay said.

Seventy-four applications were received for eight South Auckland farms, 12 for three in North Auckland, 10 for one Gisborne farm, 24 for four in Taranaki, and 40 for four in Southland. “There was no crisis of confidence there,” he said. “These men had faith in the future of farming, and even more important, they had faith in themselves.” Mr Barclay said it had been made very clear to the applicants exactly what they would face.

The average debt which > would have to be serviced iwas about 5120.000 and one. 'was. as high as $160,000. Some would go on to their farms budgeting for a deficit in their first year. i “But they were far from daunted by the prospect, in I fact, they gave even’ appearance of welcoming the challenge,” Mr Barclay said. Most of the applicants were married, and aged between 25 and 40. “I find it most encouraging that there are still men in this age group who, I after several years of hard 'work and self-denial, have enough faith in their own abilities and in the future of farming to put their life’s savings into a farm of their iown,” he said. “The pioneer spirit is not 'altogether dead.”