DEVELOPING LAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22864, 20 October 1937, Page 17

DEVELOPING LAND

SUCCESS DEPORTED OPERATIONS BY BOARD DECLINE IN SMALL FARMS [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Tuesday The fact that during the past year there has been comparatively little extension of the area included in the small farms scheme is stated in the annual report on the settlement ol Crown lands for the year ended March 31 last, which was presented to Parliament to-day. The report states that the main item has been the extension of the land development operations, which have been very successful. The principal reason for not launching out on new works has been the need for the Lands Development Board to take into account the fact that three-eighths of the wages cost of development has from June of last year been charged to capital and thereiore must be loaded on to the land.

As mentioned in last year's report, much of the land being developed or available for development is marginal land which cannot be developed economically by ordinary settlement and which cannot bear any portion of the labour cost. The board could not conscientiously undertake additional work on such lands knowing that there would be losses of capital. The carrying capacity and production have increased enormously on most blocks, the report continues. Six blocks under the control of the chief drainage engineer have produced 223,9611b. of butter-fat, representing an increase in the case of each individual block of from 50 per cent to 100 per cent over the previous year. Of the individual holdings settled, apart from the larger development blocks, it can be safely said that generally they are a success. The original small farms scheme holdings of 5 to 10 acres aro gradually diminishing in numbers, due mainly to the occupiers resuming their former occupations, although in some cases because of the uneconomic nature of the holdings. Altogether 27 of these holdings have been closed during the year. Since the beginning of the scheme 810 men have received sustenance allowances from the Employment Promotion Fund, but at March 31, 1937, only 101 men were on sustenance, indicating a steady improvement in the revenue derived by the occupiers.