SMALL FARM SCHEME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21579, 25 August 1933, Page 10

SMALL FARM SCHEME

The statement made to-day by the Hon. C. J. Carrington, M.L.C., is a solemn and authoritative indictment of the system of the Lands and Public Works Departments. He is specially concerned over the delay that has taken place in pushing on with tho small farm settlement scheme, but he does not blame the board or the officials. The root cause lio-4 in the fact that all concerned have too many other responsibilities on their hands and that officials are so handicapped by the ponderous departmental system that they cannot avoid serious delay. Seeing that this criticism comes from a Legislative Councillor, who is not by any means antagonistic to the Government, it cannot fail to receive the closo attention of Cabinet, and it is to be hoped that prompt steps will be taken to free the system from its strangling grip on initiative and action. It is regrettable in the extreme' that unemployed men who are eager to participate in the small farm scheme are experiencing such disappointing delays. Adequate money has been voted, and if it were possible under departmental methods to exercise the kind of initiative that was taken by the Hokianga County Council some time ago many families who are still waiting anxiously would now be established on holdings with the cultivation of their garden plots in hand and with visible prospects of soon deriving a part of their living from their land. It is recognised

Ihat the task is not the plain sailing the casual observer may imagine. The greatest care must be taken to see that available land is suitable for its purpose and to protect the prospective settlers from eventually boing shouldered with a financial burden that is too heavy. But, it is obvious from Mr. (Harrington's remarks that departmental rules and regulations are largely responsible for most of the delay, combined, perhaps, with the psychological effect upon some individuals of farming problems and possible difficulties of the future. Rules can be revised. The dead wood of the system can be cut out. As to the problems of settlement, it must be clearly kept in mind that whatever the future may have in store, the position of a small holder will be much better than is that of a man on No. 5 relief.