AFFORESTATION OF FOOTHILLS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22501, 8 September 1938, Page 8

AFFORESTATION OF FOOTHILLS

RANGIORA SCHEME * REPORT ON INTERVIEW WITH MINISTER The possibility of afforestation being commenced by the Government on gorse-infested foothills near Rangiora before the end of the year was mentioned at a meeting last night of the executive of the Canterbury Progress League by Mr A. Buckingham. Mr Buckingham was one of a deputation from the league which recently waited on the Minister for Lands (the Hon. F. Langstone) to discuss the afforestation of gorse-infested land in the Ashley and Kowai foothills. The deputation waited on the Minister towards the end of last month, said Mr Buckingham, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes and Mr C. Morgan Williams, members of Parliament for Hurunui and Kaiapoi respectively, being also present. The Minister was advised that options on nearly 10,000 acres had been secured, all the options complying with the Minister’s original stipulations. The Minister had said he was very grateful for the work that had been done. The scheme had his wholehearted approval, and nothing would give him greater pleasure than to see afforestation begun in the Rangiora area. Exercising of Options Mr Langstone had said that the exercising of options on two or three properties on which the scheme must start would be placed before the Cabinet at the meeting following the return from Auckland of the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage); and he hoped that this meeting of the Cabinet would be held about a week after the hearing of the deputation. “Since then we have had no word from the Minister,” said Mr Buckingham. “However, weighty matters have been before the Cabinet, and it is quite possible that the matter has been held over. However, we are very hopeful that the scheme will be commenced, and that options on one or two properties will be exercised in a week or two. We hope, too. that some preliminary work, such as reading and fencing, will be started this ye This report was approved by the executive of the league, which agreed to write to the Minister expressing the hope that the scheme would be begun as soon as possible.