FARM BUYERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 142, 18 June 1931, Page 8

FARM BUYERS

INFORMATION BUREAUX OUSTING ITIE SPECULATOR FARMERS’ UNION SUGGESTION Uno of the most useful remits car vied at the receut conference of the Farmers’ Union at Palmerston North was one from the Okioa brance, staled Mr T. Currie at tho meeting of the Wanganui executive of the Farmers Union yesterday. The remit was that each branch of tho Farmers’ Union should appoint a small committee to acquire information concerning Ihe carrying capacity ;iid the capability of land for producing, which vould bo handed to strangers entering tho district with the intention of buying a farm. If it could be arranged that a com mittee could bo set up in each centre all the prospective buyer would have to do would bo to enquire of the secretary of tho Farmers’ Union of that district, who would bo able to supply the information. Mr Currie said that an advisory committee had been sei up in Brunswick whore it had been endorsed as a good idea, especially for the young people. Mr Howie asked whether the prospective buyers would be prepared to take the word of tho committee against that of the land agents. Mr Currie: It is their own look out if they don’t. Mr R. Campion pointed out that if farmers were asked whether a certain portion of land in their neighbourhod were worth a certain sum they would probably say it was worth far less than its real value. It would tend to give a bad impression of the land in that district. Mr Howie considered that the price of land should not be brought into it, which opinion was endorsed by Mr Currie, who pointed out that it was only intended to ascertain the capability of the land. He asked Mr Brandon to explain the scheme.

Mr Brandon said that the chief idea behind the scheme was that, when matters in the farming world became normal again the speculator would become active, and this was not in the interests of tho farmer. If tho speculator got to work again prices would go up. It was recognised that one ot the greatest troubles at tho present was that the land was over-priced. He suggested that a committee bo set up consisting of three, a dairy farmer, an agricultural farmer and a grazier, all of whom should be men of long standing in tho district. They would be able to gather information of the district concerning capacity for productivity, which was the only basis on which land could be valued.

Mr Currie pointed out that the scheme had not yet been formed, but that it was a recommendation to tho branches, and it was hoped that it would bo considered.