BACK TO THE LAND

Southland Times, Issue 17679, 17 June 1914, Page 5

BACK TO THE LAND

THE DRIFT TO THE TOWNS. HOW TO REMEDY IT. FARMERS’ OPINIONS. " I believe that the country which God made is more beautiful than the city, which man made ; that life out of doors and in touch with the earth is the natural life of man. I believe that work is work wherever we find it, but that work with nature is more inspiring than work witli the most intricate machinery. I believe that the dignity of labour depends not on what you do, but how you do it ; that opportunity comes to a boy on the farm as often to a boy in the city ; that life is larger and freer and happier on the farm than in the town ; that my success depends not upon by location, but upon myself—not upon my dreams ; but upon what I actually do—not upon luck, but upon pluck. I believe in working when you work, and playing when you play, and in giving and demanding a square deal in every act of life.”—Edwin Osgood Grover. “ Ere. long the most valuable of all the arts will be the art of deriving a comfortable sustenance from the smallest area of land.” Abraham Lincoln.

With the foregoing utterances uppermost in his mind, a Southland Times reported sought for information from places in . Southland where farmers do congregate as to a remedy for an old evil, an evil with which the ancient Jews, the Greeks, and the Romans had to grapple, and which still remains unsolved. viz. tlie problem as to the best method of preventing people from drifting from the country to the towns. Incidentally, it may he remarked 1 that nearly one hundred years have elapsed since Abraham Lincoln's words were uttered, and during that time many changes have taken place in the methods employed in agriculture. More especially is this noticeable in connection with the progress that has been made during the last quarter of a century, and there arc now greater opportunities for successfully working an area of land than ever before. Agriculture, always the'most important pursuit, is now becoming recognised as an occupation which gives the highest intellects full scope, and has an attraction of its own which no other can supply. Abraham Lincoln’s prophecy is becoming better realised with every succeeding generation. The cry. “ Back to the. Land.” which is being echoed in every civilised country in the world to-day. is not without foundation. The striving in the centres of population for wealth lias led to the making of this appeal by the multitudes of wage-earn-ers. There comes to them a craving to get back to the soil perhaps some memory of country life still lingers in their minds. On the other hand, the lure of the city is responsible for diverting a considerable proportion of the young country folk from the free life in the open, and how to arrest this migration from the fields and farm houses is the question which is exercising the minds of earnest thinkers both in the town and the country. And with the foregoing preamble we will, as the man in the play suggests. “ cease our cackle and get to the ’osses.”

WHAT I’APiMERS THINK. Most of the farmers who were asked for their opinions on this all-important question were anxious to discuss it. and as one well-known Western District farmer put it, they have reason for (loins so, because every person who drifts from the country to the town means one less producer, and it further means that. having 1 become a non-producer, he places a further tax on the producers, for after all they, have to maintain him. The same gentleman aptly pointed out that this was as true of communities as of individuals, and the more thickly populated it town becomes in a country like New Zealand, which relies mainly on Iter primary products, the worse it is for the producers and for the country as a whole. To give in detail each of the statements elicited from the numerous farmers that were spoken to would fill -a fair-sized volume, and the summary which follows gives in condensed form an accurate account of what was told to the Times . reporter. It was generally contended that with the employment of modern means of farming there is no longer the drudgery experienced which formerly existed. New and improved machinery for farming has taken the back-breaking work out of farm life to a great extent, while the application of scientific methods in (he treatment of the soil and the growing of crops has opened up possibilities which were not thought of by ordinary farmers a few years ago. The thrifty man, who works or. a small farm and secs his neighbour's carelessness result in failure of crops, picks up for himself in the rough some sound ideas of the value of the individual and his rights. If hy showing a youth that farm life lias its attractions, and his interest excited by educational moans, he may be weaned from the too evident longing for office work. Country life lias been too long a dull round of mechanical work, ploughing, milking, and so on. But that time is passing, and with the new era that is opening up in the agricultural world, former drawbacks are disappearing. In older countries experience shows that in ninety-nine cases out of one hundred tin' office life lends to nowhere. Still, there are many strong, healthy youths, who new have opportunities for going on the land, hankering after that barren " respectability '' which is almost a hy-word in daily life. Agriculture is the oldest, noblest, most essential, and most fascinating pursuit in the world. If our young people arc. made thoroughly interested in the various branches of country work and scientifically instructed, a great deal will have been accomplished in tne way nf turning - their thoughts from the office. Every movement having tiiis object in view is deserving of t lie support and co-operation of every farmer. The ” Hack to the Land movement wants stimulating, so that the brains, muscle, and energy of the stalwart sons of the soil may lie employed in developing the undoubted resources of this country, which has been so richly endowed by nature.

SOME SUGGESTIONS. A well-known Western District farmer. who has given much thought to the question, when approached said that decidedly there was a trend of population towards the towns, and that affected the general constitution of the country, and when the country became unattractive to the people, the whole basis of affairs was being upset. There must be some discomfort which was driving the people into the towns. What made them unhappy in the country? He was inclined to think that the fault lay chiefly with the lack of social life. But at the same time the economic life and the moral and spiritual life needed attention. When a boy left the primary school there was rarely anyone to give him ;i word of advice. Would it not be well to establish some kind of organisation which would get into touch with the hoys, the parents, and the ieaohers at this period of his life ? He believed in more education being given to the hoys. Another drift that bad to he stopped was the drift into the ranks of unskilled labour. Kducation was one means of preventing this. On the economic side of farm life, a great deal of improvement could be effected. Cooperation had great possibilities. By co-operation more satisfactory results would be achieved by the farmers themselves. as well as by the employees. The “Reyman" to help the boy was the schoolmaster, and he ought to be able to advise the parents as to the boy’s future education. Another helpful feature along the practical line was the giving of lectures upon rural subjects, and the establishment of libraries, which would be helpful to all in the country. Special lectures could be devised for schoolboys. The library was a tremendous factor in success. In one county in America 250 boys in one year learned how to do some useful thing. The parents were taught how to keep their children interested in country life, and social life was encouraged. The work had to be undertaken in a sane and commonsense way by the ground being thoroughly examined, and for this purpose an expert was needed. He could cover a big area, and do a great deal towards remedying the drift of population towards the town and the Increasing happiness of the countryside. BACKBLOCKS SETTLORS. Several farmers pointed out that the absence of medical aid in the backblocks was one of the greatest handicaps to settlement in the dominion. More especially was the need felt among married people, and it was thought that the great need. o£ better, provision, for, me^_

dical attention to settlers going into th£ backblocks should be strongly placed, before the Government. IMMIGRANTS. It was also strongly contended that irf regard to immigrants only two classes n£ men were required for the proper working of this country. The first was Ilia: experienced and hard-working farmer of small means. The other class of man. required was the honest and reliable labourer, who would assist the holders o C land in a competent manner. Men. or even women, about, whom there was even the slightest suspicion of undesirability‘as immigrants, would be a hindrance to the country, and were better in their own land. It was no earthly? use to assist so-called farm labourers 1» this country who. after a short spell* gravitate to the towns, and there compete in a perhaps already overcrowded labour market. WORKERS' HOMES. The idea of providing homes for work-* ers in the country districts was the sub* ject of favourable comment, and in this! connection the Balfour proposal wa» mentioned as being worthy of the support of the Government, seeing that that Southland County - Council seemed disinclined- to take the matter in hand. It was also pointed out that there wera> about 1000 acres of suitable land available at Edendale, which were admirably suited for this purpose. Ten acres ofl land could he attached to each home* and each worker would therefore be ablai t.) conduct farming operations on ai small scale on ins own account. XC settlements of this description wer« founded in different parts of the province, the effect would be that country life would be rendered more attractive! to tile labourer, and the shortage of. labour problem would be solved for that farmer, besides creating a social lifw for which all men (who are social .animal si hanker after. The impression left in the mind of the» reporter, after having heard the opinion.-*? of so many representative farmers, was that- no other class are more desirous of solving the much-vexed problem than; are the members of the farming community, and that they will be prepared te wholeheartedly support any schema which will have a tendency in that? direction.