WEST COAST NEWS

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21991, 15 January 1937, Page 4

WEST COAST NEWS

USE FOR DREDGE TAILINGS

SITES FOR PLANTATIONS OF TREES ;\VORK OF STATE FORESTRY DEPARTMENT Dredge tailings, formerly considered useless heaps of stone, have been found to be of commercial value as sites for plantations of trees, after experiments by the State Forestry Department at Hokitika. The department planted a few pines with. Doviglas fix transplants on the Rimu dredge tailings, four miles from Hokitika, in 1924, and these, together with larger areas planted since then, have grown remarkably well. - The suggestions that trees could be planted on the tailings was first made by Sir R. Heaton Rhodes in 1924, when he was Commissioner of State Forests, and as a result of his suggestions the pines and Douglas firs were planted where the dredge had first begun operations. These trees grew so well that the department was encouraged to continue its experiment, and in 1927 a further 50 acres of pine, together with a few broadcast seeds, were planted. The planting was continued, until today, there are more than 200 acres planted with a mixture of pine, chiefly ponderosa (American yellow pine). There are about 800 trees to the acre. Planting of Trees The tree stock was "heeled in" handy to the tailings, and the planting was carried out by gangs of 10 men, with a foreman, each man planting one row. A "Schlich" type of spade was used, and the trees were generally planted on the southern aspect of the waves of the dredge tailings. The larger stones were moved and the spade worked into the interstices to make an opening into | which to place the tree. The dredge deposits each year about 30 or 40 acres of tails of a depth of about 40 feet, and in waves five feet high and eight to 10 feet apart. Before planting is begun the stones have to be given about three years to settle, | so that some of the sandstone, schists, and softer conglomerates can disintegrate and form a better site condition. Originally the ground Was flat to undulating and covered with mixed native forest, but after the dredge had been over the ground there, were only high heaps of desolate-looking stones. Quick Development "On first appearance it would appear to be ridiculous to plant ori the tailings, because of the apparent absence of soil, or anything that would sustain tree growth," said Mr S. A. C. Darby, Conservator of Forests, who is in charge of the scheme. "The roots of the trees develop very quickly in search of moisture, and it is amazing to see the matted root development of the seedlings after germination. Some! of the trees that were planted in the first year of the experiment. are now 30 feet high," Mr Darby continued. "It might appear to the casual onlooker that it would be beneficial to the plant to place soil round the roots of the trees when planting? but this is not so," he said, "as if the soil were placed there the plants would not go seeking moisture deep down, and consequently their development would not be so good." Trials With Fruit Trees • Encouraged by the success which the department has had in its plantings the dredgemaster of the Rimu dredge has also done some experimental planting on the tailings with fruit trees. The present season is only the second that the trees have been in, but they are "bearing some good crops. Some of the varieties planted are applesi nectarines, and peaches. It was the first time that any attempt had been made to plant any large area of tailings with trees, said Mr Darby, and there seemed to be no reason to doubt that exotic trees could be grown on the tailings. There had been an 80 per cent, survival among the trees, which was good, as the average survival was usually about 65 per cent, to 70 per cent. It was hoped to continue the planting of trees on the tailings, Mr Darby said, but the extent of the scheme would be influenced by the danger of fire. The fire hazard was extremely high in summer, and until the area could be protected, or the fire danger eliminated, the department would continue the scheme on its own experimental plantation.

INCREASED DEPTH ON GREY BAR

* RUN IN RIVER PREVENTS DEPOSITS In spite of southerly winds, which have increased the southerly drift? the depth on the Grey bar has increased by two feet during the last three weeks. There was on Wednesday a high water depth of 271t 6in on the bar. The increased depth has been caused by the run in the river, which has kept the bar free from deposits. GREYMOUTH PERSONAL NOTES Mr T. E. Y. Seddon, chairman of the iWar Pensions Appeal Board, was a passenger for Christchurch by the express yesterday. Miss Audrey McNish, who has been spending a holiday at Greymouth as the guest of Mrs J. W. Hannan, left on return to Christchurch by the express yesterday. Mr R. A. McPherson was a.passenger for Christchurch by the express yesterday. '"■•■•■- Miss Eileen Hannan left by the express yesterday on a holiday visit to Christchurch. Miss T. Wisdom left yesterday on a holiday visit to Christchurch. .-.'.,' THEFT AT DISPATCH FOUNDRY TWO POUNDS TAKEN FROM TILL A till in the garage office of the Dispatch* Foundry Company, in Lord street, 'which contained about £2 in cash, was robbed on Wednesday night The till was locked. The main office was also entered, but nothing was taken. It is thought that entrance was gained to the building at the rear. The office was entered by breaking a small pane of glass in the door and opening it from the inside. When the staff arrived yesterday morning the blinds on the office window had been pulled down, apparently by the person or persons responsible for the theft BOWLERS TO VISIT WESTPORT Arrangements are being < made by the Buffer Bowling Centre for the entertainment of the party of Queensland bowlers, who.are touring the Qo-, minion, and who are due < to .reach; westport at midday- on-February! 4; The party includes 21 players,' and there are several women with them. On the afternoon of February 4 the visitors will play at match oh ■ the Westport green against a team from the Buller Centre, and they will b? entertained at a social the same night. They will depart for Nelson the following morning. ," ' '

HOKITIKA NEWS WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL SPECIAL RATE TO BE LEVIED * Mr J. J. McKay presided over a meeting of the Westland County Council: also present were Crs. A. Dale, J. Donovan, B. Ward, D. H. Brown, T. R. Chesterman, W. A. Jamieson, J. A. Murdoch, and W. Jeffries. It was decided to fix Saturday as the statutory closing half-day for shops in the Westland County. , The Kokatahi-Koiterang Farmers Union wrote drawing attention to the spread of foxglove and asking that it Should be declared a noxious -weed. Cr Brown gave notice of motion to that effect for the next meeting. Accounts amounting to £2812 4s 4d were passed for payment. Messrs Schroy and O'Brien waited on the council about their contract for the La Fontaine road extension, and asked to be relieved of it. After discussion in committee, it was agreed to accede to the request, the council to complete the work. A motion to raise a loan of £750 for protection works against river erosion at Camelback and to levy a special rate of one farthing in the pound in the special rating area was carried. Mr D. J. Evans was reappointed the council's representative on the Hokitika High School Board of Governors. It was resolved that 10 per cent, be added to all unpaid rates after February 15, and that the amounts owing be placed in the hands of the county solicitor for collection. High School Committee The monthly meeting of the Hokitika District High School Committee was presided over by. Mr A. C. Armstrong. The recommendation of the Education Board that Miss E. I. Dale be appointed assistant mistress was adopted. The Kumara School Committee and the head teacher at Ruatapu School applied for dental treatment for the children at their schools. The chairman explained that before the vacation the dental nurse was finding difficulty in coping with the amount of work already in hand, and it was resolved to apply to the department for assistance to clear up the arrears of work. The West Coast School Committees' Association enquired how the school was affected by non-attendance, and expressed the opinion that a district attendance officer should be appointed. It was agreed to hold over the reply until a report was received from the headmaster. The Canterbury Education Board advised that it had approved a grant to meet the cost of painting the school buildings and several other minor requirements. It was resolved to postpone the jubilee picnic.

A WARNING TO BUILDERS

OPERATING WITHOUT PERMITS

.DISCUSSION BY BOROUGH • COUNCIL

A decision to issue a warning to builders and contractors about the obligation on their part to obtain building permits from the borough council before proceeding with alterations or new work of a cost greater.than £2O was made by the borough council at the monthly meeting on Wednesday night. , Present were the Mayor (Mr J. Kilkenny), arid Crs. J. Radford, G. Taylor, J. M. Robertson, E. R. Fox, O. L. Nahr, and J. Stowell. The council's attention was drawn to the fact that the by-law about, building permits was not being respected iby the acting-borough engine eer (Mr G. F. Hogg) in his report. Emphasising the desirability of having the by-law enforced so that all new buildings would have to receive the approval of the building inspector, the Mayor said that Westport was rapidly going ahead, and they did not. want old shacks springing, up in the town. The Town Clerk (Mr ;A'.-Taylor) was authorised to attend the annual conference of the New Zealand Institute of Town Clerks;at Tiinafu on March 9. r '•"..■' •■:■*

Suggestions for drawing .the attention of the public to the regulations aimed at increasing safety on the roads were received frpm the acting-Com-missioner of Transport It was decided to adopt the proposals and to commend the Minister on his efforts in the interests of the public. The Main Highways Board wrote that assistance for the cost of erecting a foot bridge across the Buller liver ; alongside the traffic bridge would be provided on a £3 for £1 basis, and pointing out that the cost to the local bodies in the district would be £2OO. It was decided to set aside £IOO in next year's estimates for this purpose, and the Mayor was requested to interview the Buller County Council about the remainder of the cost. With further reference to the increase in the salary of the inspector of health in this district, a letter from the Department of Health stated that the council's share would be £llO instead of the previous amount of £SO.

It was decided to defer consideration of this matter pending a consultation with the county council, another of the contributing bodies, about the action they intend to take. . Sealing Work

It was decided to ask the contractors at present engaged in sealing the borough streets for a quotation for sealing Lyndhurst street from Palmerston street to the railway station, also the flanks of Wakefield-street between Palmerston and Russell streets, and for reforming and sealing Russell street from Lyndhurst street to Henley street. ••",

A. policy of concentrating the whole of. the council's staff on the work of cleaning up and reforming and sealing the footpaths in each street in turn in the borough, beginning with Fakington street, was decided on on the recommendation of the works committee.

The Mayor said that the works committee had been criticised for having men scattered all T over the borough, and it had therefore been decided to deal with one street at a time and take everything on a face. The abattoir manager reported that the fwllowing stock had been slaughtered during the last month, the figures for December. 1935, being '"iven in parenthesis:—Cattle. 142 (114); sheen, 459 (385); lambs. 333 (317); nigs. 151 (135); and calves. 9 (11). Fees collected totalled £129 lis 3d. OVERHEAD BRIDGE PROPOSAL .The erection of, an overhead traffic bridge to eliminate the dangerous Bentham street railway crossing at the southern end of Westnort is tinder consideration by thePubHc Works" Department. From ! enquiries made yesterday it was ascertained that the preliminary survey has been completed: Reference to the proposed bridge.was made,'by the Mayor (Mr J. Kilkenny) at the meeting of the borough council on Wednesday night, and councillors, were agreed that this was a necessary work in the interests of public safety.

SUITABLE TREES FOR COAST

EXPERIMENTS MADE AT HOKITIKA SUCCESSFUL TRIALS OF CEDARS The two trees that so far have proved most suitable for the West Coast climate are the thuya plicata (western red cedar) and the cupressus lawsoniana (Port Orford cedar), according to the State Forestry Department, whicfe has been making experiments on a 5000-acre plantation a few miles from Hokitika. The plantation is a milled-over area, where there were originally native forests, and was begun with the idea of re-establishing these areas with the introduction of exotic trees. Already 2800 acres have been re-established, the trees being planted in the undergrowth. A feature of the plantation is that it has the largest area of pure thuya in the British Empire. There are about 1200 acres planted with this tree, and this area, together with that planted with cupressus lawsoniana, is responding very well to the experiment. , . „__._, The trees were planted in 1931. Before the most suitable tree to plant was found, many experiments were necessary with eucalypts, poplars, cypresses, and other trees. One of the first trees to.be tried was the pinus insignia, but it was found to be too susceptible to a disease known as armillaria, which attacks the roots, and makes its development uncertain. There had been many criticisms of the plantations on the ground that some of the trees had not grown at all well, said the. Conservator of State Forests (Mr S. A. C. Darby), who is in charge'of the scheme. It had to be remembered, however, he said,;that when an endeavour was being made to find the most suitable tree for. the country, that some of the trees would not grow well. The experiment: had proved worth while, he considered. VISIT OF MINISTER FOR, RAILWAYS DETAILS OF ITINERARY Details of the itinerary of the Minister for Railways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) when he visits this district at the' end of the month have been received from the Hon. P. C. Webb, M.P. They are as follows: January 30—Nelson, depart 8.50 a.m. (special train); Glenhope, arrive 11.15 a.m., depart 11.35 a.m. (special train); Murchison, arrive 12.55 p.m., lunch, depart 2.30 p.m.; Westport, arrive 6.30 p.m. Night at Westport. Sunday, January 31—At Westport. Monday, February I—Westport, depart 8.0 a.m. by special train, visit stations on section as required;. Westport, arrive 1.10 p.m. lunch; afternoon, inspect Westport-Te Kuha line.. Night at Westport. Tuesday, February 2 Westport, depart 9.0 a:m.; Inangahua Junction, arrive 10.30 a.m., depart 11.0 a.m. by rail car; Reef ton, arrive 11.35 a.m. • Afternoon and night at Reefton. : , WESTPORT PERSONAL NOTES In recognition of Mr F. W. Beirne's 28 years' service with the borough council it was decided.at the monthly meeting last night to grant him, four weeks' holiday on full pay. -\ The Hon. C. S. Knight, an elected member of the Northern Rhodesian Legislative Council, accompanied by Mrs Knight, is visiting the West Coast inthe course <of. a tour of New Zealand and Australia.

Mr R. J. Reilly, of Wellington,; has returned to the north after spending a holiday in Westport. , Mrs P. J. Knowles, accompanied by her son Neville, has returned to Christchurch after a holiday visit to her sister, Mrs Daily, of Westport. Miss Mary O'Dea, who came of age on Wednesday, was the guest of honour at a small dinner party at the Hotel Buller. Those present Included Misses A. Daily, E. and L. Daily, G. Hansby, and V. Jefferies.