EXPERIENCE ON SMALL FARMS.

Southland Times, Issue 22361, 28 June 1934, Page 4

EXPERIENCE ON SMALL FARMS.

5 To the Editor. . Sir, —Having had a pretty wide experience on varying areas of farm lands, may I be permitted to say some- • thing on the advisability or otherwise ' of this much talked of small-holding ! scheme, which is quite a good proposition for men with some capital of their ' own, if the demand is in excess of production. But as things are to-day all • the world over, with everything at stagnation point, to ask or expect anyone, be he ever so capable, to make any sort of a living out of nothing is, l

to my experienced mind, beating the air. If this scheme goes on, those who ’ know least about making a living out of ever such good land, with practically everything owned by the Government, will be the first to apply. As proposed, the various conditions of tenure are nothing more or less than a most beautiful mirage, and those who think they can reach it, I would seriously advise to see a doctor. For my part, sir, I cannot understand any intelligent man thinking any man could

do himself or the Government any good, seeing that in the meantime he has to pay interest on all this money advanced to give him a home I’m sure he could never call his own. Again, the only people who may benefit by the scheme would be those from whom the Government bought the land. And the fact that good land might be bought at a low price is far from the end of it—surveying, sub-divisions, fencing and a whole lot more expense that does not meet the eye, has to be fixed on to the purchase price. This is a very import-

une time to ask anyone to make good out of nothing, with over-production of every class of product from the soil. I question if anyone could have anything but the most meagre lives. You see, sir, no one yet. as far as I have seen, has touched upon rolling stock, which is wanted to a certain extent on any area of land from ten to 50 or 80 acres, as a certain amount of agriculture has to be done each year for winter feed, and if the ten or 50 or 80 acre man has to depend on neighbours or contractors, he, as I know from sad experience, will meet many vexations and disappointments, and these small areas won’t stand the necessary machinery to give the owner and the crop a fair chance. In conclusion, sir, as a practical farmer, I am satisfied the

small farm scheme will be a disastrous experience, and those people who advocate such a wild cat scheme have surely not given such a vital matter the intelligent thought it requires. Finally, sir, as a finish, I must be allowed to say, after receiving all the figures set out in your paper of recent date regarding the cost of setting a prospective small holder on a small holding, I think it would be quite safe to add 25 to 30 per cent, for things never allowed for in estimates on matters of agriculture. In proof of my contention against this small scheme, particularly in times such as these, I think as far as the scheme has gone it is very far from being successful.—l am, etc.,

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