VALUE OF COMPOST IN DOMINION

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 14828, 16 November 1948, Page 6

VALUE OF COMPOST IN DOMINION

RESEARCH URGED BY COMMITTEE

Investigation Under N.Z.

Conditions

Government Should Act

Immediately

i P. A.)

"Wellington, Nov. 15

No clear evidence that increasing : incidence of certain diseases in New ■ Zealand existed or was related to : deficiencies in food caused by lack of humus content in the soil has been found by a Government committee examining the value of composting refuse.' This is stated in the committee's interim report. The committee was established in 1946 following receipt of a petition for a Royal Commission to investigate composting. Much of the evidence of the petitioners was considered to be unsubstantiated or irrelevant, but the committee was impressed with the potential value of the materials now being wasted, and considered that research would be well worthwhile states the report. The committee suggests immediate action by the Government to encourage one or nore municipalities to organise 'pilot plants" for the composting of their organic matte] - , to arrange for the process aI; these plants to be studied experimentally, and to arrange for a large-scale agricullural trial of the composts produced. "The committee has studied all the evidence submitted by the petitioners and has interrogated two of •heir principal witnesses, Mr D. M. Robinson, of Auckland, and Sir Stanton Hicks," the report says. "It can find no clear evidence in support of their allegation that the incidence of disease in Now Zealand mch as dental e-tries. bone complaints, heart affections and digestive troubles, appeared to be increasing, and that such increasing incidence would appear to have a definite relationship to deficiencies in food occasioned bv the produce of the soil lacking in important constituents or deficient in humus eontent.

There are no figures available from, any source pointing to the increase in Ihe incidence of human disease. The available records, in fact, prove the opposite." Discussing the possible detrimental offects of the use of artificial fertilisers alleged in the petition, the report says no worthwhile evidence has so far been placed before the committee -on this matter. However the committee consider:; that ihe relation o:f compost to plant health is of sufficient importance to warrant investigation under New Zealand conditions.