Confidence Lacking In Back Country, Says Up-River Settler

Wanganui Chronicle, 27 November 1948, Page 3

Confidence Lacking In Back Country, Says Up-River Settler

“I have no brains but I have a good set of eyes, and I have kept them fairly wide open,” said Mr. W. C. McNab, an upriver farmer, when giving evidence before the Royal Commission on the Sheer) Industry yesterday. “The whole trouble is that the people have no confidence in the backcountry land. You could not raise a packet of cigarettes on it provided it is in a deteriorated area. You cannot got. out of it; it is a drug on the market- Everyone where I am would get out o<f it if they could.” Mr. McNab said it would take from £8 to £lO an acre to tret this land back into production if it were in heavy scrub.

In answer to a question, Mr. McNab said the land had deteriorated because there had been insufficient mainten ance. Some of it had also been in bad hands. One of the chief problems was inability to secure labour. ‘‘lf you do happen to strike anyone who wants to work you do not make them an offer. I ask them what they want and give it to them. At present I am paying £2 a day for scrub cutting.” Hill country farming was a young man’s job and was no piace for the lazy man. said Mr. McNab. Later in his evidence he said that it took four men and 27 horses to service two sowers. Three tons of manure were sowed each day.