BACK TO THE LAND

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 124, 19 February 1929, Page 13

BACK TO THE LAND

Sir, —Your leading article of to-day induces me to put a few thoughts to paper.

After referring to the fact that figures quoted by the French Premier revealed an alarming drift from the town to the country, you go on to say: “In every country which has not systematically pivoted its social and economic resources upon the principle that the land is the real and only foundation of national prosperity, the problem of arresting the drift to the towns is becoming acute. The problem is with us in this country.” And, “One of the standing problems of our primary industries is the difficulty of obtaining labour. Neither boys nor adults seem to want to go to the country.” You further state that, however valuable such schemes as Flock House, and an amended educational system aiming at developing a rural consciousness may be, "they are but palliatives, and do not represent a solution of the main problem, which is a general and unmistakable disinclination on the part of our own native born to go to the country.”

Your warning is much too important to be overlooked. The problem is twofold, and affects principally the man of small means in the country and likewise the men of small means in the cities.

Why does the farmer’s boy want to come to town? Is it the glamour of city life that appeals? I. think not. In these days of motor transport, wireless, etc., the isolation of country life has practically ceased to exist. No: the thought of the country lad of the small farm is one of hopelessness. He fancies his life to be drudgery, without prospects. He fancies he will never be able to save enough to farm for himself, and consequently lets his thoughts turn townwards. He may be wrong, but — In advising boys as to their career the main factor in consideration by parents is, “What does the future hold out”? “Is there a future for our town-bred boy should he go to the country to learn farming?” We must, in attempting to answer this question deal with the average boy. The boy of exceptional ability will forge his way anywhere. Has the town boy who commences as a farm hand a reasonable chance of ultimately possessing his own farm? Has he as good prospects as the boy who follows trade or profession in town ? If the land is to remain near its present price -I think not.

Assume that a boy who takes on farming at 17 or' 18 years of age receives as wage 255. per week( fairly high); if he is exceptionally thrifty and saves (with his' yearly rise of, say, 10s.) £l, or up to thirty shillings per week, it will be possible for him to save in ten years upwards of £6OO or £7OO. With outside help this lad could possibly get a very small farm started. But other factors come in. It would be normal, very natural, and in the interest of ' th’e State that at about halfway through his saving period he contemplates marriage. Should he follow such a course the accumulatoin of the necessary starting finance would be indefinitely deferred.. Let us assume though that he refrains from thoughts of marriage until he* be 28 or 30 years of age and actually accumulates his six or seven hundred pounds.. What prospect has he? How far will such a sum go with land at to-day’s prices? On the other hand, the boy who stayed in town Tor came to town) and who had been likewise thrifty would be able to find many safe avenues for his investing—avenues in which he could follow his money and. take part in the building of his future. ' One often' hears the expression, “No good advising a boy to learn farming unless one' can place money lit the back of him,” and as things are now there are very. few people who can even attemnt to assist a boy to get on to the land. Simultaneously with an education system which is designed to encourage and fit bovs for a farming career, steps must be taken to have land available at a buyable price when the boys, are ready to buy. It will be futile filling agricultural colleges with boys who may never be able to own a.farm. The present-day profiteering in land (marketing of land) is one of the mam causes of high land prices. Aggregation by the already wealthy farmer is keeping the man of small means right out of the picture. Just this morning the writer was talking to a gentleman who had sold a farm at a “satisfactory” figure, and he admitted that it is impossible for the small man to bid at a sale of a .farm, and he gave instances of aggregation which had recently taken place at not one hundred miles away from Wellington. The price of land must come down. A graduated land tax is a step in the right direction, but something more is needed whilst the tax is operating. The much-abused Advances to Settlers Fund could be well confined to its rightful use and augmented by a percentage from the profit from the sale of land in both town and country. A little back to the people of the community-created value, and used in the development of farming proper, would benefit the whole community.

Some condition should be imposed whereby money advanced from State funds is lent only to men who have had the required experience in farming. The men who need helping are the younger men who have gained experience under practical farmers, but whose savings are not quite adequate to enable the applicant to carry on alone. Men of more advanced age who decide to go farming should be in a position to arrange their own finance. —I am, etc., NEW ZEALANDER. Wellington, February 18.