THE BIG FARMER'S FEAR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 201, 19 May 1908, Page 3

THE BIG FARMER'S FEAR.

. \A CAUSE OF EXODUS. ' V;'< '•"Writing . with.. reference to a certain Wairarapa. pioneer,': who lias spent thousands of pounds and the best part of' his life in: developing his. estate, our' travelling correspondent' observes that whatever increment there'is in the, property has certainly been earned by the 'owner, either-by his' own work or, by the capital;expended. Here wb have a.'man who came to the Dominion ..when settlement l- was only, beginning, who went into a dense bush, without ; road or even tracks,' except of his own making, and has made > what is now a very nice: property indeed. And to-day, under, existing conditions, he :is liable at any . time to have his home takon away and parted among : strangers. He told me (says our correspondent) that had-it not been for his two sons,, who have taken up sheep farming; he would sell the farm and clear out. of tho country. . There is .no doubt a feeling of ■ alarm 'in . the minds of many now,'" as to tho • future of! the larger farmerS' in New Zealand. /At this time "of day large'holdings are evidently not dosirablo. A district cut up into moderate /siaed farms, in which a oomfortablo living may, be:, made, is all very well, but what , is going /to become of the flocks and herds of ' this 1 r Dominion if the big land holder, is knocked out? . Who is it that is continually importing, fresh strains of cattle,' sheep and horses ? Certainly not the small farmer, although' he reaps tho benefit which the peoplo gain by the introduction of tho bost blood in dairy cattle, etc. In fact, if the large landowners were to become 1 a thing of the past there is no doubt that our flocks and. herds would in a few years! go back, as there is no comparison between tho. stock of..these., breeders and those which have been stationed on 1 Government farms.