SMALL FARMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9342, 19 April 1889, Page 3

SMALL FARMS.

A correspondent, over the signature of " Cautious Inquirer," writes as follows :— " A friend writes to me from England asking for advice and information as to the prospect of a small farmer's life in the Auckland province of this colony, to which he has an idea he would like to emigrate. I have been out in this country myself a few years, but from what I have heard and seen of the life of a small settler, I have declined to advise my friend in the matter, but have promised to obtain for him, if possible, the information he seeks, and leb him decide for himself. I can think of no. better plan to meet this case than by asking you to kindly insert this letter in the columns of your widely-circulated paper. The correspondence which I have read in the newspapers generally on the question of small farming has, to my mind, always omitted one most important point, viz., that of figures. Now, in this case my friend furnishes me with figures, and likewise a contemplated plan of operations, and what he desires to know is whether his ideas are near the mark. In the first place, I may state that my friend and his wife are very industrious people, with three small children, and have had some unfortunate experiences in common with others in agricultural pursuits in England. He could, however, muster a capital of £2000. Now, he is a man of no ambitien to pile up money, and all he desires is a fairly comfortable living for himself and family. Of his £2000 cap£ tal, he tells me he would leave £1000 ab home invested in consols, which would bring him an annual income of £27. The other £1000 h? would bring to the colony, place say £370 in the bank; the interest on which he calculates upon obtaining 4 per cent., which would, together with his £1000 in the funds, give him the small total income of £40 per annum. Now, his intention would be to purchase from 30 to 50 acres of first-class land, stock it, and otherwise invest his remaining £630 on his place, inclusive of buildings, if none were on the land when purchased. The locality of the farm must be a settled one. Now, sir, the question remains after all this, could my worthy friend obtain a fair living on so small a place, taking with it his private investment ? It appears to my mind that he would have to sail his ship very close to the wind to make both ends meet; but lam neither a farmer nor a householder myself, and so should very much like to have the candid opinion of some of your honest and practical readers, which would, I feel sure, be a great service to my friend, as well as to those people in or out of the colony who intended, or are thinking of taking up small farms in New Zealand. I have heard people say, since I came to the colony, that a man could make a living off such a small place as I mention, but when I read of the monopoly of the fruit market in Auckland, and the low prices quoted for farm produce generally (not counting times of the Australian droughts), I have nob been able to see through it at all. I admit? that a farmer, even in a small way, may be able to pub upon his table some of the luxuries which an ordinary townsman may have to deny himself; but, how about the grocer's bill, clothing, sundry household expenses, rates, taxes, &c. All this lam asked about. What can I "—[As the above correspondent desires the views of our readers rather than our own on this matter, we trust our readers will not be backward in .giving expression to their opinions and experience. It is desirable that this question should be made clear and beyond doubt. We may remark, however, that our correspondent's homo friend is making a mistake in leaving such a large capital behind him upon such~a small interest as consols afford. Here ho would get, as a rule, about 5 per cent, for money at deposit in the banks, where the security is perfectly safe, and being here, it would be available for the purpose of securing a bargain, or a better investment, as it presented itself to him after he had acquired a little colonial experience. Ab that rate, the £1370 he proposes to invest would yield him here close on £70 per annum in place of £40, as he proposes 'to use it.—Ed.]