FINANCE FOR FARMERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 13, 15 July 1939, Page 15

FINANCE FOR FARMERS

SOURCES DRYING UP

START FOR YOUNG MEN

Difficulties experienced by farmers in securing financial assistance were stressed by speakers at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs yesterday.

Mr. J. D. Gregan (South Canterbury) said that such sources of financial assistance as the State Advances Corporation, stock, and station firms, and other institutions, which had assisted farmers in the past, wore now closing down on them. There was a great need to give young farmers facilities to begin on their own land—some could do so on land already in possession of their parents—and to build on and improve such holdings. Young farmers were being taught modern farming methods, but what was the use if they could not get the finance necessary for the application of such methods?

A Canterbury remit to this effect was discussed: "That the attention rof the New Zealand council of the federation be drawn to the absolute necessity for assistance to young farmers in order that they may start farming on their own account; that a sub-com-mittee be set up and that the Government be approached."

Mr. J. H. Bremner (Pahiatua) moved as an amendment: "That the Wellington Council considers that farming is not being made sufficiently attractive to young farmers, and wishes to draw the attention of the federation to this state of affairs; neither is provision being made for married farm workers, and this federation requests the Dominion executive to set up a committee to investigate this."

Mr. Bremner asked what was going to be done with young farmers who had been trained to the point where they were capable of taking charge of their own. farms. The problem of land settlement, today was most difficult. While wastage was going on in flocks and herds it was also proceeding among farmers. A lot of farmers who should be retiring were not doing so because of certain difficulties. The result was a hold-up between old farmers going out and young ones taking over. The only alternative to the young farmers desiring to marry and branch out on their own was to go into the cities, where they could get house and accommodation, and become salesmen, Public Works employees, lorry-drivers, and so on. It was generally recognised that production was falling. Farm labour, for which there was only single men's accommodation was advertised for, and on the other hand married workers were advertising for employment. There were men available, but they could not be accommodated. Mr. J. N. Smith said that the development and opening-up of lands in the. north had been stopped because there were not settlers coming forward to take up the land. The amendment was lost and the motion carried.