SOLDIERS’ LAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26027, 15 December 1945, Page 9

SOLDIERS’ LAND

The Farm

KEPPOCH STATION SUBDIVISION LIKELY $ PROBLEMS OF SETTLEMENT An area of 6000 acres of the valuable Keppoch estate. of Mr Walter Yardley at Moa Flat has just been sold, and it is understood that it has been purchased by the Government for the purpose of subdivision for soldier settlement. The news is of interest net only because it announces the first substantial purchase in the Otago land district for rehabilitation purposes, but also on account of the outstanding quality of the fertile down country which comprises this property: It is doubtful whether there is much better pasture land or mixed farming country in the Dominion than is tQ be found in the Moa Flat district. It furnishes ideal sheep grazing, as is demonstrated by crossbred sheep production in the locality, and most of the land lies well to the sun. VALUABLE PROPERTY Well subdivided and particularly well fenced. Keppoch has been efficiently and scientifically farmed over the past two decades by the Yardley family. Moreover, it is within reasonable distance of the branch railhead at Heriot although when subdivision of the property is finally arranged the necessity will arise for definite allowances for the substantial item of cartage, which, too often, in the past. Government departments and their valuers, have been inclined to overlook. The Keppoch land, under the. impetus of the Moa Flat-Heriot climate is capable of producing successfully and profitably almost any crop suited to Otago conditions and requirements. That this is no mere academic assess, ment of the possibilities of this country under reasonably practical and expert method is illustrated by the stock and crops'that are taken out of the district annually. It is understood that when the completion of the present sale takes place the Keppoch estate will approximate only 2000 acres, on which Mr Yardley proposes to, pursue the successful purebred stock raising so notably carried out before him by his father, who was one of the most respected judges of Romney Marsh quality and character in the province. ERRORS OF THE PAST The acquisition of such a property as Keppoch directs attention once again to the problems of sub-division for settlement and the mistakes which in the past undermined, and in some instances completely ruined, closer soldier settlement. The essence of rehabilitation • and subdivision is to break up estates and give the soldier farmer his buildings as well as his paddocks. Such a policy may mean a considerable initial outlay, and perhaps actual loss, but, as was stated by a soldier-settler of 24 years’ standing in Dunedin this week, it is better to face such difficulties at the outset when the soldier-settler is still young, keen, and in good health and spirits than to leave the necessary adjustment to be made by a mortgagors’ commission or other tribunal when the man in question is discouraged, disappointed or disgruntled. . The principle adopted in the past, one farmer declared yesterday, was to put a man on to a block of land at its full farming or productive value, and leave him to fend for himself, which generally included finding nis own buildings. Even if that were only partly practicable at one time, it was impossible of successful application today when farming is no longer being carried out on open market values. Production and prices are governed too much by subsidy for current conditions 1 to be taken as a guide in the matter of the terms under which soldier settlers take up land. WILDEN AND OTHERS The Wilden sub-division after the 1914-18 war was the subject of some pointed comment by a West Otago runholder at the Southland Show at Invercargill this week, and his remarks may be said to have particular application to any subdivision of Keppoch, inasmuch as the two properties are almost adjoining, and operate under largely similar conditions. Wilden Hun, he said, was cut uo after the first world war under conditions determined by current production and values. The freehold of approximately 22,000 acres wa. purchased by tine Government and was subdivided into numerous blocks. All the settlers found that the rentals fixed Dy the Government were ridiculous and impossible when prices dropped in the years between 1929 and 1934. It was not long before a revision of rentals was forced on the Government. and most of them had to be reduced by roughly 50 per cent. Even to-day. the run-holder added, the average Wilden settler found his rent quite high enough. . , ~ In the case of the Teviot Station settlement, rentals were fixed at a level far in excess of the. figures suggested by ffie productive value of the land over the preceding 10 to 15 years. Gladbrook too, can be cited as a very indifferent example of a soldier settlement after the 1914-18 war. It was cut up into a number of small holdings, and practically the whole property has now drifted back into one or two hands. In that instance, no immediate allowance was made for houses and farm buildings, and the soldier settlers could not afford them and meet their othci liabilities at the same time. NEARER HOME Finally, if a further example is necessary, there is the case of a highly productive property within 25 miles of the Dunedin Post Office, well farmed and in good heart, which the Government took over for settlement. It was subdivided into small lots, and made available to unemployed men with some knowledge and experience of farming. Each man received an allocation of stock, and houses of a kind were provided, but ordinary necessities such as roading. essential steadings and telephonic connection were neglected. It is hard to believe that people could live only 25 miles from Dunedin and be isolated. Yet these settlers could get away from their properties only with difficulty, and generallj' they saw no one from outside. The result was that one by one they vanished whence they had come, and the Government • now has the property back on its hands. With its still difficult access by a narrow, badly-cornered and, in places, dangerous road and its general lack of normal facilities, the Government offered the farms to the Rehabilitation Department for soldier settlement. Notwithstanding considerations of revised price or rental, not a single application has been received for any of these farms. BUILDINGS AND RENTALS It can only be hoped that the salutary lessons learnt in Otago in the past will be taken advantage of when Keppoch, or other properties, are subdivided for rehabilitation. One of the first errors which practical farmers want to see avoided is the fixing of rentals on prices purely on current values and conditions, which cannot be reliable criteria. The main question in subdivision to any thinking farmer is the matter of buildings for settlers who take up blocks just subdivided. ■ . . It is placing an unnecessary obstacle in the way of a man’s making good if lie has immediately to shoulder the burden of a dwelling, woolshed, and other barns and outhouses. Experienced farmers are emphatic that due allowance must be made at the outset for such necessities, and it is to be hoped that the Government will not leave the land over-capitalised when these essentials have been provided, whether by the State or the settler himself. The question of the size of the subdivisions to be offered to returned servicemen has also been discussed widely. In every case, comment has emphasised the need for generous areas if soldier-settlers are to be given a chance of making good. A Heriot settler with an intimate knowledge of the Wilden and Moa Flat country

suggested yesterday that a fair minimum for Keppoch run would be from 500 to 600 acres. Anything smaller would be impossible. . SETTLEMENT TO DATE Rehabilitation policy to date in Otago as it affects the settling of soldiers on the land has been largely confined to financing men into farms that have been offered for sale and have been approved by the State Advances Corporation. “ On the whole, the, Government has done a fairly good job in this direction.” a South Otago farmer said yesterday, “ but it has been mostly concerned about protecting the interests of the buyer at the expense of the vendor. Soldiers have gone on to land generally on favourable terms, but the insistence on prime consideration being given to the buyer has had a discouraging effect on offers of farms by vendors.” No large holdings have yet been cut up. although one or two substantial farms have been halved to carry two settlers. According to report, two or three well-known stations, one close handy to Dunedin, are likely to be made available for sub-division shortly, but at the moment they arc the subject of rumour only. 1 SHOW SEASON The following is a list of agricultural and pastoral shows arranged so far for the 1945-46 season:— December 15.—O'ago Peninsula at Portobello. January 12.—Blueskin at Wa’tati. January 19.—Waikouaiti at Waikouaiti. January 26. Waiheino at Palmerston. March 'l6.—Upper Clutha at. Wanaka. March 16.—Maniototo at Ranfurly.