LAND SETTLEMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20976, 12 September 1931, Page 11

LAND SETTLEMENT

GROUP METHOD ADVOCATED. BOYS PLACED ON FARMS. An address on rural settlement was given by Mr. Edward Cortis at a meeting of the executive of the New Zealand Land Settlement and Development League yesterday. Mr. Cortis has had an intimate experience of surveying and subdivision problems in Australia. Mr. Cortis said the elements of successful settlement were sound production, marketing and living conditions. Good production methods would only bo achieved in most situations on tho group settlement plan, wherein the individual selectors set out to produce a variety of "eggs," in association with a parent or fostering company, which was itself engaged in similar production. Tho parent company would have adequate modern tractor, machine and power plants and a skilled technical staff available to serve and direct the development of the smaller holdings. Regarding marketing, this was best achieved by a contract for the disposal of output over a period of years, and at a price justifying outlay of capital. Group settlement would also improve living conditions

Mr. N. G. Gribble, secretary to tho league, presented a report, in which he said that since August, the future farmers' committee had placed 47 boys on farms where they would receive training and experience. The cost had been about £l4.