FUTURE WORK ON NASSELLA

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29192, 30 April 1960, Page 17

FUTURE WORK ON NASSELLA

Five-Year Plan Envisaged

Before the report on the proposed five-year programme of nassella control to begin next year could be finally decided, the committee considering recommendations for the programme needed to know the results of the survey to be made of the present excluded area, Mr A. R. Dingwall said at the annual general meeting of the North Canterbury Nassella Tussock Board at Waikari.

The board is at present in the final year of its three-year programme for which Government subsidies have been assured. The five-year programme envisaged by the board is to tackle and bring under control all known infestations of nassella in its area, including the present excluded area.

The committee had reviewed the work of the board over the last five years and would be making its recommendations as soon as the report was finished, Mr Dingwall said. Seed control spraying was a negative approach, the committee considered, and it was proposed that it should not be the board's policy, except in special cases.

The board should still retain the responsibility of eradication of nassella in nucleus areas and the owner's responsibility should be of the subsequent follow-up improvement of the land, the committee considered. Should controlled nucleus areas revert to dense infestation after control by the board, then the subsequent eradication should be the owner's responsibility, as should be the case with any new nucleus areas which might develop from now on.

The committee was considering the suggestion that grubbing charges be increased from 5s to 6s an hour. This would be more in line with the principle of maximum recoveries as the cost to the board was in the vicinity of 12s an hout.

A “flying squad" works team of three men is to be proposed. This team would carry out surveys, flag areas for aerial spraying, spot spray small infestations and do special grubbing work where the use of the grubbing gangs was not warranted.