SMALL HOLDINGS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 98, 19 January 1933, Page 3

SMALL HOLDINGS

A Hastings Proposal SEEKING SUITABLE LAND Dominion Special Service.

Hastings, Jan. 18. A Hastings organisation, known as the Small Settlement Committee, which for several years has been exceedingly active and enterprising in attempting to launch a scheme of providing small holdings lor workers, especially for those engaged in merely seasonal work, has succeeded m making the way open for the consideration of offers of land priced at their present market value. Some time ago the Government,.following along the lines laid down in its own farm settlement scheme, asked the local committee to locate suitable areas of tana which, when subdivided, would provide small holdings at a cost of not more than 1300 apart from buildings and other essentials, and at a maximum rental of ten shillings weekly. , It was found impossible to obtain such terms. The opinion of the local committee is that any block of land accepted for subdivision is never likely to revert to the vendors, for the improvements effected will exceed the value of the land. Also it is felt that the men who are likely to take up the small holdings will have n home at less cost than would be necessary in the towns, and that working under the plans and the advice of the committee and the officers of the Department of Agriculture. would reduce their living costs and give them a margin of profit, lhe next step in the committee s ’schemes is to obtain blocks of suitable land, and no ‘ difficulty is expected in that connection. PENROSE CAMP Visitor Impressed r.lasterton, Jan. 18. A visit was paid to the agricultural training and holiday camp at Penrose yesterday by Mr. A. E. Ansell, M.P.. “° lias been associated with Mr. is. G. Smit.i, M.P., in an investigation of juvenile unemployment in the Doninion. After seeing the various teams of boys at work on the training farm and at nearby farms, Mr Ansell declared himself very much impressed with what he had seen A concert partv from Masterton, headed by Mr. Wilbur Davies, visited the camp last evening, and entertained the boys.