The Levin State Farm.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7355, 1 November 1898, Page 4

The Levin State Farm.

(by telegraph. )

(from our own correspondent, i Wellington, October 31. nn j r^ "who paid a visit on the 22nd October to the State Farm at Levin, has supplied me with some information as to the working of the farm, and the conditions obtaining there. The farm, he says, consists of 800 acres, 600 of which are now in grass, the remaining 200 .being still in bush. The whole was originally bush, but felling was accomplished bj a local sawmiller, who paid a royalty of 4d per hundred feet inured pine and : 3d; for white. The farm manager, Mr VPalkcr, is, in Mr Meredith's opinion, a thoroughly practical and experienced man. Seventeen men are occupied, 53 persons altogether living in the settlement. The men are for the part too old or frail' to compete " in the ordinary labor market f and the farm

consequently relieves the benevolent in-, stitutions. -Thewagesare4sa day for old men, 6s for younger, and 6s 6d to carpenters. Women earn-about 10s 6d a week' per cow at milking. Cottages with garden attached are let at Is 6d per week for smaller ones, 3s for larger, and workers have in addition free firewood, grass for 1 cow, and the run of two pigs. All supplies produced on the farm are supplied at cost. The buildings were satisfactory in every way. The stock on the farm consists of 238 head of cattle (70 cows being in milk), 180 pigs, a few horses and large numbers of poultry. The manager's intention is to increase the dairy to 150 cows. Cream is separated on the farm and sold to the central factories, Wellington, and at present returns about L3O a month. Some 25 pigs a month are killed and sold, realising about LI each. The orchard comprises about 16 acres, and should bear well in about three years, and the manager intends to continue planting till the acreage under fruit is doubled. The trees are mostly apples, pears, and stone fruit. The farm was bought at L 4 per acre, and the present value is Ll4 per acre; and, although at present the expenditure exceeds the receipts, it is Mr Meredith's opinion that, if now sold, the State would not lose by the experiment. Had the farm been open land of good quality, he thinks the results would have been favorable.