NEW LAND FOR FARMS

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23203, 14 December 1940, Page 10

NEW LAND FOR FARMS

CLEARING BUSH WITH MACHINERY MINISTER REVIEWS RESULTS ACHIEVED

(P&ZB9 ASSOCIATION tILEOHAM.)

WELLINGTON, December 13. Results achieved by the usejaf heavy State-owned machinery for clearing logs and stumps from land in bush districts were reviewed by the Minister for Public Worses (the Hon. R. Semple), in an interview to-night. The scheme, he said, was self-supporting, farmers paying the full cost of the work. Its economic value was beyond question. The total work done under this scheme up to December 6 was 6689 acres of clearing, 1450 acres of cultivation, 1000 chains of farm access roads formed, 190 chains of stop-bank-ing constructed, and 177 chains of stream improvement work done. Most of the land cleared, particularly in the King Country, could never have been brought into cultivation by any other means, except at a prohibitive cost, because of dense and solid timber. “The standard charge for each 95 h.p. tractor unit fitted with a bulldozer and logging winch is £2 a working hour, and the cost to the farmer on that basis varies from £2 10s an acre to £7 10s an acre, depending on the size and density of the logs and stumps,” said Mr Semple. “The heaviest work is at Ohakune, where some of the stumps are so large that explosives have to be used to split them

before they are extracted by machines. This cost is also paid for in addition to the charge for the use of the' machines. Problem in Swamps “It has been found that swampy land is difficult to work over, as the ground does not support the heavy machines, and so far not much of this class of land has been cleared. It is expected that the cost of clearing swampy land may be higher for this reason, but two machines will be shortly available for the Hamilton district to try out this class of work. Swamp land when cleared is highly productive and may stand the extra charge. “A recent visit to the Ohakune district disclosed that six machines working together can clear and cultivate 20 acres a day when working 15 hours a day with two shifts of operators. The average rate of stumping and clearing for each machine is a third of an acre an hour for heavy work to one acre an hour for light

work. On dry ground the average rate for cultivating is an acre to one acre and three-quarters a working hour. “Stream improvement and stopbanking work is being done in Southland, where a Diesel dragline is operating at a cost to farmers of 25s a

working hour. The equivalent yardage cost is 6d a cubic yard. This type of work can be extended when more machines become available. “The result of the scheme Is that more than 300 farmers in the bush districts have had useful areas of land cleared so that they can grow winter crops and thus greatly increase production at a time when the nation’s need is greatest. Every one of these farmers has expressed complete satisfaction and considers the expenditure a good investment.”