FARM TRAINING

Grey River Argus, 8 September 1945, Page 8

FARM TRAINING

MANY EX-SERVICEMEN ATTRACTED. DAIRYING POPULAR. WELLINGTON, Sept. 7. F'arm training with a view to settlement on the land on their own account continues to attract many ex-servicemen, states the Rehabilitation Department in its monthly review. By July 31, 346 ex-servicemen had completed their farm training courses, while a further 333 were undergoing training with rehabilitation assistance. Of these 252 were working with private employers on a subsidy, basis, 62' were attending Massey and Lincoln colleges for specialized courses and 19 were at the Homewood Farm, Te P'uke, and the Wairarapa Training Farm, near Masterton.

By far the most popular type of farming among ex-servicemen appears to be dairying, the trend in this direction being particularly strong in the North Island. Of the 3721 exservicemen so far graded for settlement or training, 1637 have been for dairy farming, 732 for sheep farming, 514 for mixed farming, 271 for sheep and agriculture, 89 for horticulture and market-gardening, 76 for poultry farming, 69 for fruit farming, 82 for tobacco and hop-growing, 23 for agriculture and 22 for beekeeping. Only six sought a grading for pig farming, while 53 were interested in taking over farmlets. Already 1044 ex-servicemen have* been assisted financially on to farms of their own by the Rehabilitation Board. Of these 763 have been settled since the introduction of the grading system. However, of the 2473 ex-servicemen graded “A” for immediate settlement on their own account there still remains awaiting settlement 1710. Many of these, of course, prefer to wait but the problem is mainly one of finding suitable properties. Already—that is up to July 31, a total of 137,910 acres had been purchased under the provisions of the Small Farms Act, 1932-33, for the establishment of ex-servicemen, while to the same date 129 properties capable of sub-division into 186 units had been acquired under Section 51 of the Servicemen’s Settlement and Land Sales Act. Every month shows an increase in the amount of land obtained under both of these Acts, while numbers of ex-servicemen continue to find suitable economic units in which they are assisted to acquire the freehold. Meantime the board is continuing to place ex-servicemen on wages improving Crown lands with the prospect of a lease being taken out when the improvements have been effected.