CLOSER SETTLEMENT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18162, 9 August 1933, Page 7

CLOSER SETTLEMENT

NEW ZEALAND METHODS PRAISED BY AUSTRALIAN HARDEN (N.S.W.), Aug. 3. Mr. W. F. Ross,’M.L.A., who has a fairly large property in this advocated the adoption of the New Zealand methods of intense culture in an address before the Cunningar branch of the Agricultural Bureau. ‘ ‘ Small areas will have to come here, with more intense cultivation, rather than by Ureas not properly used 1 as at present," said Mr. Ross. “In New South Wales, especially in districts like Harden, if the New Zealand methods wore followed, we could produce as much on 500 acres as we are now trying to do on 2000 acres. They cannot get big areas in New Zealand, and so they have to use the , land to its’fullest extent.” Mr. Ross said that what he had seen on a recent visit to New Zealand had amazed him. Pasture improvement by moans .of sowing grasses and topdressing had enabled New Zealand farmers'to improve the carrying "capacity" of their land by four or five sheep to the acre. “We have not yet touched the fringe of pasture improvement here,” said Mr. Ross. “If a farmer got into difficulties in New Zealand and could not work his property the Government would relieve him of a portion, pay him rent for it, and provide him with assistance to topdress the balance. As a result, he would soon find himself better off than he was with a larger area. This system will eventually come into operation here, and when it does come farmers sons will have an opportunity of going on to the land instead of into , the city or on to the dole. The salvation of this country will be closer settlement, and we want more people on the land and fewer in the cities.”