RETURNED SOLDIERS’ FARMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 January 1941, Page 10

RETURNED SOLDIERS’ FARMS

MINISTER’S STATEMENT. [per press association.] CHRISTCHURCH, January 15. Soldiers returning from this war who desire to take up farming and who have had some farming experience will be placed immediately on the land. Those who are keen to become farmers, but who have had no experience, will be given adequate training. This was explained by the Minister for Lands, Mr. Langstone, in an interview to-night. “The Government,” Mr. Langstone said, “has a well-thought-out scheme for the settlement of soldier farmers returning from, this war. A recent purchase of land in the South Island, as well as in the North Island, is part of this long-range policy. Recently the Government has purchased 8000 acres on the Valetta-Tinwald area and also the Motunau Estate. These are involved in the scheme.”

As the Minister indicated, both of these areas will be used for soldier settlement, but any necessary development of the areas to make "them suitable for closer settlement will be undertaken almost immediately. “There will be a definite procedure to be followed in the selection of men for settlement,” Mr. Langstone said. “Some will be able to carry on with their farming right away, immediately they return from active service, bei cause of their knowledge and ability I as farmers with some past experience. But others wall need training, and we intend to see that we have ready for operation a scheme for the training of these inexperienced men. We also intend that in no one estate that we purchase for soldier settlement shall all of the small holdings be taken up at one time. We feel that there will be men coming back from the war at a later date than others, but who, at the same time,- are entitled to the. same consideration as the earlier arrivals. Those who come back later on will find themselves provided with the same opportunities for settlement and training as the earlier arrivals.” “I would like to emphasise one thing,” the Minister added. “There are not the millions of acres existing for closer settlement in New Zealand that some people would think. Our records show that 85,000 people hold land ranging in area from one acre to the large acreage. If you take them in groups, you find that, approximately, 64,000 farmers hold from one acre to 320. acres. There is, obviously, very; little room for closer settlement there. ’ Then approximately 20,000 people hold areas of from 320 acres to 5000: acres. In this group areas for] closer settlement will be avail-

able. I have gone into the position fairly closely (I think I can claim with some justification), and I have found that there are from 200 to 400 estates that are suitable for closer settlement. These would settle between 2,500 and 3000 men. To settle such a number of men would cost, in all, possibly an average of £5OOO per farm. “In the group from 5000 acres to the largest of the holdings, there are approximately 1000 holders, but hardly any of that land is suitable for closer settlement. Most of those areas are high country runs, obviously unsuitable for close settlement, and the people who talk of the possibility of cutting up such places are talking so much ‘bunk’ —that is putting it plainly, but it is only stating the real case. These huge runs are not suitable for closer settlement.”