FARM DEVELOPMENT

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXII, Issue 4672, 1 August 1938, Page 5

FARM DEVELOPMENT

LAST YEAR REVIEWED WORK ON MORE BLOCKS. LARGE INCREASE IN STAFF. hi The work of the branch has again considerably increased in all directions. The number of blocks on which work is actually being proceeded with has risen from forty to forty-nine, and the total area under development or being considered has increased to 45,776 acres, states Mr. A. B. Jordan, Superintendent of Land Development, Te Kuiti, in the annual report on the settlement of Crown lands. The total area of new grass has increased from 3872 acres to 7278 acres,, of which 5052 acres have been sown on cultivated ground and 2226 acres have been surface sown. In addition, some 7060 acres of old pasture have been grazed and the weeds controlled, and the greater portion of it may be recovered by top-dressing and fencing.

During the year all of the blocks which were formerly administered in conjunction with the Public Works Department have been taken over by this branch except three in this district and those in the RaetihiOhakune area.

It is 1 desired to place on record appreciation of the valuable work which has been carried out by the Public Works Department in the past, and to express thanks to the engineers. and their staffs for their courtesy and help, without which the work could not have reached the stage in which it is now.

The whole of the accounts have been taken over from the Commissioners! of Crown Lands, Auckland, New Plymouth, and Wellington. It has been found necessary to establish a stores branch to purchase and keep the. records of the huge supplies which are necessary. This has been done to the'complete satisfaction of the Audit Department, although the system was only instituted at the Ist November, 1937, and was required to include previous transactions. In the last quarter; of the year purchases, excluding live-stock, amounted to £6706 12s 7d.

A central store is being erected, and it is intended to purchase certain requirements in bulk and issue them from the store. This will reduce handling charges and will enable quick deliveries of necessities to be made.

A costing system has also been instituted and has already proved its value in connection with the satisfactory preparation of the trading accounts and balance sheets. The information which this system will provide will be valuable in the future for purposes of estimates, and will show quickly any abnormal movements in the; farming operations of the individual blocks or settlers and will also indicate the efficiency of the work on any; block which is brought under its ( operations. At 31st March the development work employed some 340 men. This necessitated the setting up of a special pay branch for the payment of wages twice monthly, in addition to the] keeping of records of pay, service, and holidays of each man. One hundred and twenty men formerly on sustenance were employed through Placement Service at Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton and Tauranga, and- fifty through the Certifying Officers at Te Kuiti, Otorohanga, and Te Awamutu, while 204 already employed were taken over by this branch during the: year. The above activities have necessitated a large increase in the staff, and it is very satisfactory to report that the work has been well carried out; the stores and costing systems are new, and this has necessitated a very large amount of foundation work, while the taking over of accounts has also required much detailed inquiry and adjustments to bring them up to date and effect reconciliations to the requirements of this branch. It was found necessary to analyse all expenditure made by the district offices prior to 31st March, 1937. The total live' stock on the blocks (thirty-seven) at 31st March, 1938, was: _Sheep, 47,229; dairy cattle, 1130; run cattle, 2385; horses, 187; pigs, 245.

Summary of Accounts.

Trading accounts will be presented in connection with sixty separate accounts, and the following summarises the position: — Price of land, freehold £36,804 10s 3d, improvements purchased at valuation £12,773 9s Bd, a total of £49,577 19s lid; development-costs chargeable, £450,210 5s 9d; standard valuation of live stock on hand, £70,142 14s; interest at 5 per cent, on expenditure to date, £23,776 19s 4d; gross returns from live stock, produce, etc., £108,364 17s 3d. The position as shown in the live stock trading operations is very considerably affected by the fact that standard values have been used, instead of the "reasonable, market value" in last year's report—e.g., wethers which cost approximately £1 10s have been taken in at £l. This position will

continue until such time as the live stock requirements are bred. The expenditure on live stock in 1937 was £40,167 10s lid, and in 1938 was £71,173 15s 3d. The revenue for this year is £53,922 lis sd, as against £27,490 lis for the previous year, and is made up as under:—

The total work completed on the thirty-seven blocks was summarised as follows:—Fencing, 20,917 chains; shelter-belts, 875 chains; roads (internal) metalled, 944 chains; roads formed, not metalled, 655 chains; drains, 3790 chains; stumping, clearing, and burning, 7181 acres; bush and scrub fe11ed,1549 acres; ploughing and cultivation 6532 acres; sown in grass, 7278 acres; sown in crops, 1000 acres; top-dressed, 7278 acres; water supplies (systems), 30; houses, new and repaired, 85; cow-sheds 45; storesheds, 48; cattle-yards, 8; sheep-yards, 22, dips, 3; posts split, 199,400; strainers split, 9840; battens 977,400. The population of the blocks and people dependent on them for livelihood is as follows: Prospective settlers, 86; married men residing on blocks, 30; single men residing on blocks, 331; married men not residing, 102; single men not residing, 20; women and children residing on blocks, 377; women and children not residing on blocks 306; a total of 1252.

The Four Main Blocks.

Figures for the original main blocks —Pururu, Ngatamahine, Lee's, and Mairoa —for the years ending 31st March, 1935, and 31st March, 1938, are given hereunder for comparison:—

The reduction shown in sales of fat lambs is due to the fact that the number, of Southdown-cross lambs bred has been considerably reduced. It is intended in the future to restrict this branch of farming to the more intensely formed sections, where the conditions are most favourable. Of the total lambs bred (13,771) there were this year 10,861 Romney-cross lambs.

In regard to store sheep ,it was not necessary this year to cull so heavily. The returns for butterfat and pigs have increased approximately eight times, and fat cattle sold shows a satisfactory increase both in price and quality. Wool returns for the four main blocks were given as under:—Number of bales: 1934-35, 48; 1937-38, 138. Weight of wool (lb) : 1934-35, 17.717; 1937-38, 52.643. Value of wool: 1934-35, £285 15s 2d; 193738, £IB4O 18s lOd. Price per pound (average): 1934-35, 3.87 d; 1937-38, 8.39 d. Price per bale (average): 1934-35, £5 19s Id; 1937-38, £l3 6s lOd.

Live stock carried on the four main blocks was:

Main improvements effected in the four main blocks comprised.—

The breeding of sheep and cattle, which commenced last year with the intention of supplying the replacements and requirements of the scheme has been satisfactory, and the average lambing over the whole of the scheme was approximately 99 rJer cent., and some 360 Polled Angus calves have been reared. It is a matter ow satisfaction that the class of stock bred and farmed has again been the subject of favourable comment. One sale of 144 fat bullocks was made at a very satisfactory figure, and competent judges considered that the cattle were the best as to class and finish that had been seen for many years. The dairy herds have shown satisfactory returns. Five herds totalling 420 cows were tested and the returns to date show an average of approximately 2501 b per cow. Unfortunately, the eczema complaints affected the herds, which also suffered in production from the dry season,

More Attention to Dairying.

It has been found advisable to pay more attention to the dairying operations, and for the past year one officer has been specialising in this pig-breeding and marketing operations, which have shown a very satisfactory increase.

The sheep breeding experiments at Mairoa and Arohena have again been successful, and included in the flocks will be some ewes bred on these schemes. The Arohena district has benefited very considerably by the operations of the scheme, as there has been practically complete ragwort control on those sections being farmed by the branch. Other sections will come in during the year, and this will enable practically the whole of the ragwort in the district to be controlled, provided, of course, that the necessary stock can be obtained when required. In common with the farming community the operations of the branch have sufiered considerably by the effects of the abnormal summer conditions. Facial eczema, jaundice, and pneumonia have caused considerable losses by death, and although, in comparison with others, the actual losses have been light, yet there will be an adverse effect on the lambing and fattening during the coming season that cannot be estimated. Deaths amongst the lambs will considerably reduce the number which it was considered would be available for inclusion in the flocks.

The swede crops have also proved a failure, in spite of the fact that some were sown twice and every precaution taken. This reduction in the amount of winter feed available will considerably reduce the winter carrying capacity. Fortunately, there are good supplies of hay, a portion of which is being pressed so as to enable it to be transferred, but it is anticipated that further supplies will be required. The usual high standard of work has been maintained, and the large extension of work has fully taxed the capacity of the outside staff, and it is more evident than ever that the policy of close supervision is justified and essential.

Construction of Huts

In connection with the employment and accommodation of increasing numbers of men, it was found that expenditure on tents was a heavy one. On investigation it was found that a satisfactory hut of 16ft by 10ft fitted up for two men could be made at a very reasonable cost, and although the initial outlay was greater than for tents this .is very soon offset by the reduced replacement charges and the fact that the wooden hut can very easily be converted into a store-shed when necessary. A special branch was set up, and men have been trained and can undertake repairs to buildings as well as make all the store-sheds, huts, bathrooms, etc., necessary—llß huts were completed, together with bathrooms, etc., at 31st March last. In conclusion, it is again satisfactory to record that there has been little sickness or dissatisfaction amongst the 1250 men, women and children who depend on the schemes for their livelihood.

1936-37 1937-38 Buttcrfat . . £4,439 £6,323 Sheep . . 13,440 29,425 Wool . . 4,283 8,302 Cattle . . .. 4,152 8,144 Pigs . . 525 698 Sundries 109 1,027 Total . . . . £27,490 £53,922

Sales. 1934-35. 1937-38 Butterfat .. .. £617 £4770 Fat lambs .. . . .. 941 329 Fat sheep .. . . .. 181 2880 Store sheep .. . . .. 550 "189 Wool .. . .. 28G 1841 Dairy cattle . . .. 382 309 Run cattle .. . . .. 185 1844 . .. 62 474

1935-36 1937-38 Sheep . . 2,800 11,833 Dairy cattle 574 758 Run cattle . . 233 530

1935-6 1937-8 Fencing (chs) . . 6469 8074 Drains (chs) . . 540 2070 Ploughing & culivating (acs.) 999 1920 Permanent pastures (acs.) 1024 2529