Government Decisions On Nassella Deplored

Press, Volume C, Issue 29499, 28 April 1961, Page 3

Government Decisions On Nassella Deplored

If Ministers of the Crown preferred to rely on their inter - departmental advisers rather than recommendations of the nassella tussock boards, would it not be better to abandon the boards *and hand control over to the I heads of the departments [concerned? The chairman [of the North Canterbury [Nassella Tussock Board (Mr T. G. Maxwell) asked this question in his report to the annual meeting of the board yesterday. Mr Maxwell said that failure to carry out the board’s requests to the Government for certain actions to be taken should not be blamed on the Minister but on his advisers.

The board had, against its better judgment, been directed to register a debt against the title of a property. he said. This had resulted in other farmers in the board's area not being able to obtain mortgages.

Work on the Land and Survey Department's own property at Glenbourne was most encouraging, and if carried out on other nucleus areas could lead to greatly increased production. Although the board had recommended State assistance for

settling an area of 3500 acres offered by a landowner to the board for purchase and six farmers had been interested. the proposal had been rejected and the land was probably destined for forestry.

In the Waipara area the board had £20.000 available to carry out new work last year, and the farmers in the area had shown they were more than willing to cooperate, but the work was decided against. ‘This, I believe, was really the result of a change in policy in Government departments. although such a change has not been officially notified to the board.” Mr Maxwell said. “It appears that there is how a need for further areas of forest in Canterbury, and no doubt the Government departments feel that if they can kill two birds with one stone they will save a lot of money.”