Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-06-09

| experiments conducted for the benefit OF
! the immediate neighborhOod. 4 new de-
! parture has been made in that classes
are held for the farmers, at which they
are shown the methods employed and the
results achieved. AT \these farms, in ad-
/ dition TO general farming, work is CON
| stantly going on-in hog raising, dairy
| produce bee and poultry keeping, plant
and seed selection and orcharding.
| Throughout the dominion are scattered
! small experimental areas for determining
/ the best things to grow according to
/ peculiar local conditions.
| In addition to the government farms
! two farm organizations have organized
model farms where the best dairyinS
methods are demonstrated. These two
farms are financed and managed by the
farmers themselves. member Of the de
partmeat OF agriculture being chairman
Of the committee in charge. The govern
ment has arranged small tubsidies eX-
tending over seven years TO insure the
success Of the financial end.
Field instructors are kept out virtually
the whole year and biologists, and other
scientists are sent out 20 study insect
and plant and animal diseases In the
laboratories Mt Wellington thousands Of
4 seed samples are tested each year for
the farmers, and constant examination Is
being made OF fertilizers.
New Zealand authorities are anxious to
settle as many people as possible on the
land. for it is upon the products Of the
land that the country must depend for
its prosperity. II IS too young q country
and too far away from the rest OF the
world to engage in manufacturing on
any great scale
AS n result the government has regula-
lions which make it easy for those who
are willing TO get out and rough It for
4 couple Of years 10 acquire q farm or
comfortable size, either by purchasing
It or on such long leases that they really
have the best OF it compared to those
who have freehold lands.
: LAND DISTRICTS
IN THE DOMINION.
The dominion is divided into seven
land districts, each under the super
vision OF 4 commissioner who transacts
all routine business in the sale, leasing
and occupation Of lands belonging to the
crown. The commissioner with three men
chosen by the governor general and one
by the crown tenants in the district, act
as land board for that district.
There are three methods whereby gov
eminent land may be obtained by set
tiers. One is by outright purchase
another by lease with the right to pur-
chase ultimately and tho third only by
lease with no option to buy at any time
To rent land with a view to buying It
later the tenant pays a rental equal to
/ 3 per cent Of the sale price Of the land.
On land which IS leased only the rent
is per cent of the sale price.
Land IS divided into three classes. For
the first class lands the sale price IS not
less than s. an acre. for second class not
/ less than $3.50 IN acre. and for third
class not less than $I25 an acre. The
above are the minimum prices on the
/ poorest quality Of land. The holdings
are limited to eco acres Of first class,
/ . .00O acres OF second class and 5000 acres
\ Of third class lands TO any one person.
/ For town and suburban lands the prices
are correspondlngly higher.
/ The man who leases land with a view
to buying has twenty-five years in which
to pay off the debt, but leases without
the option OF buying run for siKty-siz
/ years with the privilege Of renewal
There are notifications OF these terms
for those who want to settle on the land
for only short periods.
/ When land IS bought outright certain
Improvements must be made, as is the
case with leased lands, and residence on
the land is compulsory for two years
on most crown lands.
At this time the government owns
4. 10000 acres. Of which 200 coo acres is
/ open for settlement. Most OF that which
IS not open consists of rugged, noun.
famous lands which is suitable only for
pastoral purposes. The holdings Of the
government vary from year to year as
more and more Maorls dispose of their
holdings which ut this time are around
100000 acres. Lately some 10000 acres
are disposed of each year, either sold
or leased although normally the acreage
disposed Of each year is double that
TENDENCY AGAINST
LARGE LAND HOLDERS.
OF recent years the legislation on land
has tended more and more to prevent in
diyiduas from obtaining large blocks of
4 agricultural lands and using 1t for pas
toral purposes. III government fire.
quently takes steps to compel big land
| holders ITO divide their tracts and per-
NIT more settlers t. come IN Usually it
| is not difficult for the government and
/ the owner to agree upon a price, but If
the owner is obdurate the government
takes the land by condemnation. In one
instance in district Of the North Island
the government decided that one man
was too great a land holder and com
| PEELED him to sell half Of 1t. On that
half TIE government settled thirty two
families, while the original holder has
suffered no loss in his income because he
began more general cultivation of the
half which he had left
The government takes steps to prevent
any ha.dships when land is thus sub
divided by advancing the money
necessary for subdivision, for survey and
the cost of construction Of bridges and
| roads.
Since 1894 the government has had
laws which permit it to advance money
to worthy settlers. The smallest ad-
| vance made is S125 and the largest is