ABANDONED FARMS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 189, 8 May 1931, Page 8

ABANDONED FARMS

Rehabilitation Scheme

WORK FOR UNEMPLOYED

Primary Production

With the object of inspecting abandoned farms which it is proposed to bring within the scope of the Unemployment Board's scheme tor the rehabilitation of neglected properties and of investigating the progress being made on various State land development schemes, the Minister of Lands, Hon. E. A. Ransom, left Wellington last night on an extensive tour of the North Island. He will be away for about a week, and a comprehensive programme has been mapped out in order that as much ground as possible can bo covered in the time. Under the Unemployment Board’s scheme 4c, it Is proposed to place single men and unemployed farmers on properties that have been abandoned and to bring them back into production. It is desired that a start should be made on the placing of available men as soon as possible, and for this reason the Minister intends to visit areas that can be handled to advantage. . The scheme has been prepared by the board in conjunction with the Lands and Survey Department, and it is the first of its steps to place men in productive employment. Farms are I 'to be selected from time to time by local unemployment committees in collaboration with the Minister of Lands, and reports upon areas to be brought back to productivity are to be made by field inspectors of the Lands Department. In addition the Minister will visit various land development schemes. He will spend some time at the Galatea estate of 22,000 acres recently purchased by the Government and upon which there are now about. 200 men employed. Another area to be visited will be the Ngakuru blocks, near Rotorua, on one of which development is ’almost completed. This will throw open for settlement about 1000 acres sown in grass, and it is estimated that about six or eight settlers will be accommodated. It has not been decided whether this will be thrown open for selection immediately, or whether it will remain as it is for some time for consolidation purposes. The Minister is also to visit the Te Kauwhata block of 1000 acres near Mercer. Before development work was started on this property it comprised an old wattle plantation, and it is now being prepared for production. The Whangamarino block of 850 acres, near Mercer. is also to be visited. This is, to be fully developed before being subdivided into eight dairy farms.