MORE SMALL FARMS

Waipa Post, Volume 48, Issue 3479, 14 June 1934, Page 4

MORE SMALL FARMS

ANOTHER PROPERTY NEAR TE AWAMUTU ACQUIRED. BRYANT SCHEME PROPOSALS. Further recognition has been accorded the work of the Waikato Land Settlement Society by the gifts from anonymous donors of several thousands of pounds for the purchase of an estate of 1430 acres in Te Awamutu district (according to Mr D. V. Bryant, of Hamilton, who points out that although, the donation; is distinctly one for the Waikato Land Settlement Society for its own purpose, it has been made with the object of showing encouragement to the ideals expressed in the Bryant scheme of immigration, already detailed).

The new estate, which will become the property of the society on 25th June, is half in grass, with the remainder of the area easily workable. At present it is carrying 1500 breeding ewes, in addition to other sheep and cattle, and is admirably suited for the Society's purpose. The land offers particularly favourable prospects for the raising of fat lambs, as is illustrated by the fact that over 510 per cent of the first big draft sent away last season averaged over 36 lbs.

' The property was visited yesterday by Messrs Bryant, H. Valder, H. D. Caro and F. A. de la Mare, directors of the society. Except for Mr Bryant, the directors had not seen the place before. They weije very favourably imp,reissed with the property and the. excellent opportunity it offered as a sub-divisional proposition. The land is situated at Wiharepapa, on the Parawera-Arohena Road, 18 miles from Te Awamutu and eight miles from Arapuni. It has been occupied by Mn A. J. Huston for the past six years and consists largely of rolling downs. The improved area is laid down in clean pasture and provides ample feed for the sheep and cattle running on it. Mr Bryant paid a tribute to the cooperation he had received from the directors, particularly the secretary, Mr, Valder, who had given his wholehearted suppoirt in promoting the interests of the society. There are many miles of good fencing on the estate, including a considerable proportion of rabbit-proof netting, while there is also a homestead and very large out-buildmgs. It is the intention of the directors of the Society to treat this land in an entirely difflerein.t mvanner from the properties already in course of development. The new property will be subdivided into farms of approximately 120 acres, and each man settled will be given eight or ten cows to milk by hand, enabling him to maintain a number of pigs with the skim milk and crops grown on the place. The settlers will also be provided with a few hundred breeding ewes each to produce fat lambs. This system of farming is regarded by Mr Bryant, the founder of the Society, as being equally as remunerative to the farmer as a small dairy farm would be. Although the estate will not come into the possession of the Society until near the end of the month, the 1500 ewes on'the property have been purchased by the Society as part of its plan for the property. Comlmenting on the work which has already been carried out by the Society, Mr Bryant expressed his appreciation of the helpful co-operation which had been shown by the directors. The honorary secretary and treasurer, Mk 1 H. Balder, in particular, had been a tower of strength to the Society, having given his wholehearted support and assistance to the objects which it has in view.