THE STATE FARM.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8538, 19 March 1908, Page 5

THE STATE FARM.

Judging by an article in yesterday's Manawatu Farmer the Levinvpeople are not anxious to retain the State Farm. Our contemporary says:— "The people of New Zealand have never looked upon the Levin State Farm as something that is either desirable or necessary. It has been/ criticised mercilessly by all sorts and* conditions of people who had an opinion worth stating, and, presumably, by many whose opinion could not be so regarded. Long ag&the business people of this town wbuld have agitated for its disposition had it not been for the fact, that they were cajoled into the belief that it was urgently required in the best interests of the State, it being the only place available on which to establish a inuchneeded school where dairying could be studied and taught. Now that the Government can no longer keep up the. delusion, settlers and townspeople are determined to have this block to the progresa of the town removed;. Ministers can scarcely make out a good case for the retention of this large farm on the borders of a progressive borough, while they compel private owners to relinquish their holdings for closer settlement. The State Farm swallows up some £2000 ■of the taxpayers' money every year; it is of no advantage to Levin in any way, neither is it of any great value to the industry it is supposed to foster. The land would fetch something like £30,000 or £40,000 if cut up into small farms, and it is questionable whether the Government ought not to realise on the farm at once and use the money in improving land and erecting buildings in Palmorston for Dairy School purposes. There should not be two State properties of the kind within only a few miles of each other. In addition to the annual loss on the working of this farm, there is the loss of interest on its value, at least another £1500. To have two places of a similar kind in such close proximity is unwarrantable disregard of the burdens taxpayers already have to bear, and while ample money can be readily made available by the eaJe for close settlement of the State Farm, the Government will be accused of in-

dulging in wasteful expenditure if it insists upon taking anything fiirther from the public purse. The voice of Levin is to be lifted against this large area of land being retained by the Government on its boundary, on Saturday evening next, when a public meeting has been called by the Mayor to discuss what action shall be taken with respect to the future of farm." Asked last evening if he had any newplan with regard to the Levin dairy farm, the Minister of stated thafc he had had his attention called to the fact that the people- of Levin were goingto discuss the- matter. As a matter of fact, the Department* contemplated the erection of ■extensive buildings which would bring the farm quite up to date. but as he judged from what had been published that the settlers had an idea. that tho land should be put to some other use, he had directed .the officers of the Department to stay proceedings in connection with the new buildings lest there might be a desire locally that the property should be cut up and sold. In thft case the Department would bo able to accept Mr Buchanan's offer of £6000 to establish an experimental farm in the Wairarapa.—N.Z. Times.