ABANDONED FARMS

Evening Star, Issue 20592, 18 September 1930, Page 2

ABANDONED FARMS

DISCHARGED SOLDIER SETTLEMENT [From Ocr Paruauenxaet Report**.] WELLINGTON, September 17. The financial section of the discharged soldiers’ settlement report shows a gross loss of £301,801 on last year’s operations, composed chiefly of capital losses resulting from the sale of abandoned properties, and by fur ther reductions of mortgages and remissions of interest granted by the Dominion Revaluation Board. These total £279,918. Difficulty is still experienced in disposing of abandoned farms and houses in some localities, and, as at the end of the year many properties were on hand for disposal, further losses can be anticipated, as the values shown represent considerable reductions on the book figures. The department announces that it con tinues to hold abandoned farms for sale at very reasonable prices, and, in the case of those properties which have been allowed to deteriorate or for othei causes do not appear to attract settlers is willing to oiler substantial conces sions to suitable applicants who can bo expected to work the farms in a proper manner. The reports from the various districts are generally in optimistic vein, and notwithstanding the fall in prices this has to a considerable extent been offset by the increased production re suiting from favourable climatic conditions, combined with improved methods of pasture treatment and herd testing. Despite the writing down of capital, and the abandonment of holdings, the report shows that the scheme has provided for 4,500 discharged men, who are faming 2,796,348 acres.