This Type Of House Not Always Used

Northern Advocate, 7 November 1946, Page 3

This Type Of House Not Always Used

The Department of Lands and Survey is building piggeries in Northland at a cost ranging between £250 and £SOO.

A letter received by the Northland District Fig Council yesterday stated that during the past two years the department had erected various types of piggeries on farms prepared for the settlement of ex-servicemen.

Depending on the type and locality, the contract costs were between £250 and £SOO.

The department found that full advantage was not taken of the facilities provided and consequently a considerable wastage of material and labour had occurred.

To avoid this the department would consult with district pig councils on ihe question of design so that the local conditions could be suited. “It comes as a shock to me to learn that the department is spending so much money when it is not known if the soldier will keep pigs, or to what extent he intends to do so,” said the chairman (Mr 11. W. James). "To expend this amount of money on farms that are not selected seems to be utter folly.” The supervisor (Mr 11. H. Preston) said that while branches of the Land and Survey Department were established in Northland, another branch

concerned with rehabilitation and land development schemes operated in Northland with its headquarters in Auckland.

Piggeries were being built in the Ruawai and Kaitaia districts, but the local branches of the department had nothing to do with these projects. Mr J. W. Byers (Kaikohe) commented that a successful ex-service-rnan drawing a property by ballot might be saddled with a £SOO piggery which he did not want.

The type of building being erected was a farrowing house, said Mr Preston. It was being used as a general type of house and the workmanship was poor.

“The craze today is for a £6OO pig pen,” said Mr H. E. Johnson.

“Ex-servicemen commencing farming should start in a small way. The capital account frightens me.” lie suggested a small house would be more suitable if a supply of pig netting was made available. “It is just as easy to lose as to make money on pigs,” he commented. The meeting decided to write to the department recommending that proper investigations should be made and that no building should be erected until the wishes of the successful ..ballotee were known.

A copy of the resolution is to be sent to the National Pig Council, and a representative of the department is to be asked to attend the next meeting of the Northland Council.