SETTLEMENT ON LAND

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4704, 17 August 1945, Page 3

SETTLEMENT ON LAND

EX-SERVIOEMEN FARMERS Having set as its goal 6000 as the number of ex-servicemen which it hopes to settle on farms of their own, the Rehabilitation Board had by the end of July already accomplished a substantial part of the task. At the above date approximately 1000 loans to purchase farms had been authorised. At the end of lust mouth 3418 men had been graded by farming subcommittees with a view to their settlement. That number did not include those placed on farms before the rehabilitation farm grading system was introduced. Of those graded, 2340 had been placed in category ‘‘A.’’ meaning that they were considered sufficiently experienced for settlement on their own account. The remainder had been offered suitable training cither at agricultural colleges or with private farmers, or had been advised of their unsuitability for farming as a career. The “not suitable" were in a definite minority, A further 285 ex-servicemen completed their farm training during June and there were 332 under training at the end of the month. Of those 109 v ere at Massey and Lincoln Colleges, 203 wore with private farmers and 20 were at the Wairarapa and Homewood training farms.

More than twice as many ex-service-men have been graded for dairy farming as there have been for sheep. There has, however, been an encouraging number of men seeking subsidiary forms of agriculture such as poultry keeping, horticulture, and fruit farming.

FUTURE -TRADESMEN The building industry also gained another 33 future tradesmen during June. These were men returned from overseas. In addition 36 ex-servicemen ere placed with private employers and 11 revived their pre-service apprenticeship. A total of 221 ex-service-men were approved for various forms of trade training during the month. Until the end of June there had been 3277 ex-servicemen approved for some form of trade training, while at that date 1926 were engaged in training either at an instructional centre or with private employers. There wore also 861 who had completed training, 96 awaiting commencement and 391 who for various reasons had discontinued.