LAND OF PROMISE

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 192, 11 May 1937, Page 3

LAND OF PROMISE

The State of Queensland NEW ZEALANDER PAINTS A GLOWING PICTURE Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, May 9. “By reason of its very vastness, Queensland offers a variety of climate, ’ and the majority of New Zealanders are not aw’are of the opportunities await- } ing one in the State,” said Mr. Gordon Rose, who is at present visiting Palm--5 ers'ton North before returning to s Queensland with a view to taking up land there. The step being taken by Mr. Rose is the outcome of a period s spent in Australia, when he took the 1 opportunity to secure first-hand knowledge of the farming conditions, and P be paints a glowing picture of Queensv land in particular. “Recently it was mentioned in the Press that Italians were being introi- duced into Australia with a view to ; their taking up land in Queensland,” continued Mr. Rose, “and, on the face e of tilings, it appears to be strange that ’. foreigners should be imported into the Commonwealth. However, at the present rate of progress it will be very • many years before Queensland is elose■t ly settled, yet it is a land of ‘milk and honey,’ and offers a much wider field for the young man with coinparatively little capital than the Dominion. ’ Afte r working for some time in Queens--3 land I made inquiries relative to the '• financial assistance which would be aft forded me by the Agricultural Bank of 3 Queensland, and it may be somewhat 1 of an eye-opener to New Zealanders to 3 learn of the inducements being offered - to intending settlers to take up land, e 1 Financial Assistance. 1 t “The Agricultural Bank is empowered by the Agricultural Bank Acts, ' 1923 to 1934, to make advances to set2 tiers for the following purposes:—(a) a To pay off liabilities on the land, or to “ pay balance purchase money in respect of land, stock, machinery, implements, 1 etc., being purchased; (b) to make ini3 provements on the laud; (c) to purJ chase stock, machinery, or implements; 1 (d) to assist generally in establishing 5 persons in suitable rural pursuits on • the land; (e) for relief in case of 1 drought, etc.; (f) for unspecified purt poses in connection with the land. • “The term of the advance to a settler ( is 20 years, exclusive of any period J' allowed by tiie bank, not exceeding five 5 years, during which interest only is I payable. The bank is empowered to I make advances at a rate not exceeding . 16/- in the £1 on the fair estimated I security value of the land with its : permanent improvements, together with i those, if any, to be made by means of ; the advance applied for, but omitting crops, stock, implements, etc. In estimating the security value, the value of the land and permanent improvements for sale purposes is the primary . consideration. The bank rate of iutert est is fixed in each case when the advance is approved. The present ruling rate on all advances involving tlie discharging of liability is 5 per cent, per annum. On all other advances the rate generally is 4 per cent, per annum. Special Advances. “Special advances to dairy-farmers, ■ farmers, graziers, and sheep-farmers, are made for various purposes, such as for the purchase of farm horses up to £65; for dairy cattle, £250; for separator or other dairying plant, £5O; machinery and plant for fodder conservation. £150; grass and fodder crop seed, £3O; pineapple and banana suckers, Or other seeds and plants for approved purposes, £3O; purchase of pigs. £5O; sheep, £300: beef cattle, £5OO. Any special advance is included in the total sum of £lBOO which is the maximum sum that can be advanced to any one borrower as mentioned. In general, advances are repayable by equal halfyearly instalments of an amount sufficient to liquidate, within the term of the advance, both the principal and the interest on the balance outstanding from time to time. “To the average New Zealander the inducement! offered by the bank might seem fantastic,” continued Mr. Rose, “but I am going to avail myself of the opportunity to launch out for myself. Land is cheap, and in the rural areas it can be got for as low’ as £1 per acre, while that quoted at £5 to £8 is, in my opinion, as good as the best in the Dominion, and can be used for ordinary farming purposes or for tlie growing of pineapples, bananas, peanuts, cotton, sugar, or paw-paws. I hope to plant six acres in pineapples in the first year, which will require approximately 45,000 suckers, and these will bear in 12 months. Incidentally, one pineapple per tree is grown in Queensland, the life of the plant being only one year. It is then cut down and the five suckers which grow at its base are planted in its steqd. It is thus possible to extend the plantation steadily, and, with the establishment of canning factories, there appears to be plenty of scope for the grower.” Asked whether the climate would not be enervating to a New Zealander, Mr. Rose said he had not found it so, as it was a drier heat. He admitted that it was hot in the summer, but Queensland was such a vast State that a great variety of climate was offering. In the northern table flat lands, which were some 3000 ft. above sea level, the climate was almost all that could be desired, while along the coast the average rainfall was 60in. a year. At the height of the summer it was the custom to begin the day early, say between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., and work till 11 a.m. After a -Aest. work would be resumed at 4 p.m.. and the farmer could carry on until nearly S o’clock. Mr. Rose concluded by remarking that Queensland appeared to offer wonderful inducements even to those with very little capital. It was not a ease of ‘burying” oneself out in the wilds, for towns and railways were quite near to the land boiug opened tin. The soil was rich, and fruit abounded. Oranses. which New Zealand could not. secure in sufficient quantities, were sold in Brisbane at Bd. per dozen, and apples, pears, and thin-skinned lemons grew in plenty. To him it ap]>eared to be a wonderful opportunity for a young man to establish himself, and the Government was welcoming intending settlers with open arms. It was unfortunate, however, that foreigners rather than members of the British race wore seizing the opportunity to settle there.