HELPING UNEMPLOYED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20725, 19 November 1930, Page 8

HELPING UNEMPLOYED.

AUSTRALIAN FARM COLONIES.

SCHEME IN VICTORIA.

[from our own correspondent.] SYDNEY, Nor. 13.

The Assistant Chief Secretary of Victoria, Mr. Kiernan, who has been administering the sustenance section of the Victorian relief scheme, is going to submit to his Government, a scheme for the establishment of farm colonies where unemployed who are not skilled in land work may be placed in profitable and healthy occupations. If such farms are established they will not be the first r p( their nature, and there a-.e many wWconsider that in these times of serious unemployment land colonies are a proper and suitable means of absorbing men for whom other occupation cannot be found. In Victoria, after the bocm of 1893, an Act was passed for tha establishment of three descriptions of rural settlements—village communities, homestead associations, and labour colonies. The labour colony was established on 800 acres at Leongatha, the object being to afford temporary relief at sustenance wages to able-bodied destitute men. In the first year of the existence of this colony 1913 men %vere sent to it, and during the next 15 years nearly 7000 out of 9965 applicants were afforded relief. The colonists were instructed in general farming, pig farming was carried on extensively, and the cost of maintenance, iiiCiuding food, wages and managpment, •was only 8s 6d per man per week. It was stated at the time that with the Leongatha colony in existence there was no need for any man to starve in the city. Every week destitute men applied to be sent there, and the farm became almost self-supporting and generally was regarded as a great x success. After 26 years of useful existence the land was resumed by the Government for soldier settlement —and it may safely be said that it has not paid the State so well. The Leongatha settlement, was one of the most successful State enterprises in the history of Victoria, and it seems that if the experiment were repeated it could be just as successful. A similar colony has been established near Adelaide by the Central Methodist Mission there, the idea being to make it a training school for primary industry. About 50 men are already employed at the Adelaide farm and it seems to be well on the road to success.