WALLACE J. HODGSON.

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 71, Issue 6142, 28 September 1945, Page 5

WALLACE J. HODGSON.

WAIKERIA BORSTAL PROPERTY Sir, Recently there appeared in your paper a reference to the Waikeria Borstal property of approximately 1800 acres situated between the Ngahape and Korakonui Roads with suggestions that it should be made available for returned soldiers. To any laymen in that district who has noticed the way this land has been farmed for many years, must agree that the institution has far more land than it can properly farm. This block of land, with the exception of two or three night paddocks for a dairy herd that is being partly grazed on the property, is being run for grazing. The stock this property carries is not half the numbers adjoining properties carry and judging by the number of poor lambs one sees grazing late in the season when all lambs from adjoining farms have gone to the works at good weights, lambs from this property often have to be carried through the winter in poor condition when they should have gone fat off, the ewes. Further, it is no uncommon sight to see the sheep lousey—one has only io look at the fences to-day and see the wool all along the wires caused by the sheep rubbing themselves. One may also see paddocks of Jersey cows fattening, which are killed and sent to Mt. Eden, also scores of horses. This country is far too valuable to run this kind of stock. You can buy all the fat Jersey cows one requires for ten months in the year at the sales around about £5 per head, and every farmer knows there is no worse stock to have on good land than a lot of young horses. Further than this, noxious weeds are getting very bad, especially blackberry, and evidently getting out of control. There is very little labour utilised on this part of the property. By going in for intense farming, growing more fruit, potatoes, pig feed, etc., Waikeria would still have sufficient land for ten times its present number of inmates, and it is very hard to see how the Government can take private lands compulsorily for returned soldiers while this block of splendid country is practically going to waste. I would suggest when heads of this department make an inspection of this property, which they do periodically, they should get hold of one or two local farmers who can point out these deficiencies and not have the windows all dressed for their arrival. Probably they could be taken on to an adjoining property or two. They could then make comparisons.— I am, etc., S. PRATT.