LARGE AND SMALLFARMS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 2335, 25 August 1875, Page 2

LARGE AND SMALL FARMS.

j To tlie Editor of tlie Tabaxaki Herald. ! Sir, — Tour last issue contained a letter signed •" Gr," advocating small farms, believing them to be more conducive to the prosperity ; of a country thap large .onea., I wilj endeavour. totliroWsom'eligHt oA this most important 1 subject, nhd lake 'my' standpoint on the principles of political economy. I will suppose a case for. the sake of argument: • The Government offers> for •ealo-a small block i of bush land containing, say, 1,200 acres-; 600 acres were bought by eight small farmers, four Of them 100 acres each, and - the other four 50 acres each; the remaining 6QQ acces were purchased by one individual. , The four 100acrc men after their, laud was paid for had each of them £300 in cash, and the four 50acro men had £200 each ; total, £2,000. The (iGO-acre purchaser had a sum equal in amount to the whole eight men, viz., £2,000. The eight men had their families to support until they could get some of their lands cleared and cultivated, and also had to build and furnish ; eight houses, and other concomitant expenses. The 600-acre man had but one < family- to support, aud one house • to build and furnish, &c. This requires' hub little comment'; the faott and figures speaking for themselves.' 'The-' GOO-aCra Vn&ri had' from ttoo to 'three' times more money than- all the other 'eight 1 Id' expend 1 oil' his' land 'iu'clearing.'caitivAtibg 1 . -fenoing^Sna-Btbcking it 1 . He alfio'tf&'&ie'td ' 'purchase expensive High-tired'cattoe and sheep, &c.{ aud also.rtlw ,vesy bbestt t pf; m,aqhinery(niHi J ■ implements of husbandry. .According to the principles of political ecOnom^ tlie man who iproduces.-iori :mftnulatitureß:'ali itftiolol'laf the least expense is the greatest benefactor of his ■who^te'Be^'tm^meani'ofSkmlatfSg th^vaetlwealthliof [Great BMtolh 1 , <&d. !^G^ says wo,w,ant population j. so say Li./iNotwitto; . standingly, ady^cacy for.Jarge^awqa JJinpw small farms are necossary. .for men of sumjl meiuis, ( u,nlal they are, able to obtain .largo ones t hertce no energepq ihrifty iuau is satisfied till, he lias added Hold, to, Reldj buying metre and .jnca-e'tilllie^M sufticjeuf .lapd to occupy hia wholo iitne-and energies,..^TObLO^Cp L .tho pr}n'-'-oipal employers of ' labour ?_ ' Why, large farmers ! I have hSard' small farmers say many a time that it does not pay them td employ hands, wages being so high ;• but sf 'labour was half its i^retwnt price 'produce would -lie equally low. Before, olosihg- my letter f will look Hat 4his- -question from anotbet 1 point tiw extra" eevea' hou^s' ; *lr«ady alluded (6 >(th«t"isi thdoosf of •,tlrem) / wc-uld l) be"ail so much anoney! Bunk — there' would lie 1 no profit* ' jftblereturnirom oultiTutiiig ana stock-keeping. Many arc great advocates fOB 1 Twenty of con,siimer&/ Kence^'GM" cread, but) "in orders for a oountry T fo'lhoveaie in wealth tho 'people sjiould use every means, tojdiminish the num(ber of its consumers (I mean unproductive ones), and iHcrSase ils l |irodueeiw. -i The eight f unities would s consume about eight jtimes the quantity 1 ilid b'rfe ifaraily* bn tlie! 'COO aci»cs v ould ; at tho samo, time laud could not ) produce so much, because there was Ices { cjapital jpjjultiyat-c and stock it.— Yours, .fee.,'" ! Advance. . ; . m // . n .i ; ) i i ..i