BRINGING IN NEW LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20087, 26 October 1928, Page 17

BRINGING IN NEW LAND.

FARMERS REPORT ON COSTS.

EXPERIENCE ON PUMICE.

.CAPITAL NEEDED TO START.

Tho cost of bringing in pumico land was tho subject of reports from individual farmers, which wero placed before tho New Zealand Land Settlement and Development League yesterday. Ihe rcpoits were in answer to a questionnaire sent out by tho league and related to tho Putaruru, Rot.orua and latipo districts. Tho answers from farmers varied in details, but gave the cost of putting sections into such condition as to make them self-supporting at from £5 to £8 an acre, without live or dead stock, and about £l4 to £l6 as going concerns. Authentic figures as to building costs varied from £SO for a shack suitable for a single man to Start in, to £450 for a four-roomed home with wash-house, bath, etc.

Specifications and plans with a firm offer to erect, a simple four-roomed place for £3OO were discussed, and it was considered such a home would be highly suilablo for tho pioneer. Tho chairman, Mr. W. J. Iloldsworth, considered tho information obtained should be sent on to Lord Lov.it, Parliamentary Secretary for Dominion Affairs, as it was authentic and would be most useful to him in making his report.

Mr. A. A. Boss said the chances of success for tho beginner would undoubtedly be enhanced under group settlement, where oxperioncd men would bo available to give advice as required.

Mr. E. Yates considered tho answer to much of the misrepresentation as to "costs" lay in tho evidence accumulated. It proved that given tho will to succeed tho amount of capital essential was vury small.

Mr. M. G. McArthur suggested the information obtained should be forwarded to the Government. There was to-day tho keenest interest in land settlement, and the league might well be pleased with (lie fruits of its two Years' work.

THREE SHILLINGS CAPITAL.

PUTARURU FARMER'S START. One of several interesting reports before the Land Settlement Leaguo yesterday on the cost of bringing in pumice country was that supplied by a Putaruru farmer. The size of the holding is 163 acres, and the section, described as second-class land, was drawn in a ballot. It is suited to dairving. The farmer detailed the huildings necessary to commence as a four-roomed house and a cowshed, but no milking machines. The cost of putting the land into such condition as would enable a man with a family to be self supporting was set down at £5 an acre. The cost of essential livestock and implements was given as two horses, £46; plough, disc and harrows, £4O; harness, etc., £ls; cart, £ls; and cows, £lO a head. In a summary of his conclusions the farmer writes;—"l consider a man should have £2OOO capital to start, with, and, taking all things .into consideration—receipts and expenditure—l reckon my farm cost me £5 an acre before it was selfsupporting and live and dead stock cost £2OO. One man could start with £2OO or £3OO and come out all right, and another man would starve. Personally. I arrived in Wellington with £7 in 1905. When I arrived on my farm at Putaruru (after working one year in Taihape) and paying half a year's rent, my fare, etc., I had 3s left, so F think it depends on the man more than the capital."