POULTRY FARMERS AND SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 244, 9 July 1921, Page 8

POULTRY FARMERS AND SOLDIERS

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Once again may I ask the kindly aid per medium of your paper. We have read much concerning soldiers and the land, but how much further are we ahead? . Let us look to our highly efficient Lands Department, and at its head we sec the Minister, the Hon. Mr. Guthrie. Now the question arises, can we blame the Minister of Lands for the many faults of the Lands Department ? Naturally one would imagine the Minister as head of his own Department, but it seems not so in ths case of the Lands Department, as there is a Land Board who have power to act even if it be contrary to the Minister himself. Now it ie a well-known faot that there is much dissatisfaction amongst soldiers who are striving to settle down on farms under the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act; we may well ask, why all this dissatisfaction. Why is it that some soldiers —even those who have practically no experience at all —have been settled, and yet others who are qualified men cannot obtain satisfaction from the Land Board. Now we must consider the members ot this all-powerful Land Board, which is composed of four in all, who are all wealthy farmers. Now, why one member in particular should influence our capable commissioner we do not understand, but perhaps this can be answered, the commissioner of course is chairman of this board. The Government must be urged to make provision for a representative nominated by the executive committee of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers Association to sit upon the Land Boards throughout the Dominion, also the Government should act promptly and not allow the six Weeks’ option to expire fore the purchase is completed. Ihts delay has been the cause of much trouble, and what is a man to live on while the Department humbugs him thus? I am convinced that the commissioner himself has far too much work to get through, and certainly needs a deputy. However, it is the actual members of this allpowerful Land Board who need our careful consideration. It would be interesting to know how these members are chosen, or elected for this position. Our worthy Primo Minister is known to have stated: "No man shall be a member of my Land Board unless he be a supporter of my policy. Now I won dor if tho Primo Minister would inform us of his true policy? I quote many instances of dissatisfaction w . the "various land boards, but my main object i W this letter is to give prominence to those men who have been placed on farms, and especially poultry farms. Poultry farming is entirely different from any other class of farming. It is a business and a science, and a full knowledge Of all the branches of the business is essential to success, keeping of a few birds in ones own back yard is void of comparison, and of course the householder or keeper of a small "ragged” flock cannot be expected to understand. However, my point is that many soldiers have been placed on poultry farms with but a meagre knowledge of the business, and it is the business of the Government to see that either the Landa Department or the Agricultural Department are keeping an eye on each individual soldier’s poultry farm, both before and after purchase. It seems to me that both Departments are shirking this responsibility, and if not grappled with immediately will produce I could quote several in the Hutt \ alley I must add that the Chief Poultry Instrvictor and his assistant arc doing ya uablo work, but how can two instructors travel both tho North and South Islands, and pay attention to headquarters work, to tho State farms, and the various shows, and inspect each individual soldier's farm? It ie outrageous to imagine such —we must have more poultry instructors, and more poultry State farms. Why should the dairy farmers be given such preference? It will be said, cn course, as is always said in such cases, "the State cannot afford such, but 1 say it is a case of expenditure to make it or otherwise lose what you hnvo. The poultry farmers of Now Zealand are at last organising, and once cooperation is on a sound footing we shall demand what wo are entitled to. I must not forget to add .that the Government has certainly made a small move in <4 her respects, such as the reduction of tho imported Asiatic egg pulp, but it must be understood that this is for the good of the country as a whole. Look what the poultry business is doing tor America. There is still much to be done in this country, and I trust the Government will wisdby see ite way clear to improve the poultry industry of New Zealand, which is capable of advancing our exports even to the extent of our exported butter trade. Poultry farmers, act well your part, and we shall see that the Government does tlio rest. There is much else to be said for the advancement of the poult ■ industry, but space will not permit. Thanking yon for the space you have kiirdly allotted me— I JH?' R. VAUGHAN VENABLES. . Lower Hutt.