Policy On High Country Issues

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30212, 17 August 1963, Page 7

Policy On High Country Issues

“Th« policy of the committee of management ifl very definitely that there should not be compulsory taking over of runs,” said the director of the Tussock Grasslands and Mountain Lands Institute, Mr L. W. McCaskill, this week.

“At the some time, it beISevw that tor the implementation df necessary conservation measures, it may be necessary to have some regrouping erf runs and also that some areas may have to be permanently destocked, but that these changes should be brought about by negotiation. "In such eases the institute Insists that suitable compen sat! on must be provided, and has asked the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council to produce a statement showing clearly what the compensation provisions of the 1959 amendment to the Soil Conservation Act are and how they will be implemented. The institute has asked particularly that the compensation provisions of the act will apply in the case of change of land use by negotiation, "The institute believes that the present methods of land inventory and land capability surveys are basically sound and has recommended that the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council should have the survey of the tussock grasslands and mountain lands region completed. The council has adopted the recommendation and has asked the Institute to assume responsibility for any necessary co-ordination of "work in this field. “Because of doubts as to possible variation in standards of classification between the Department of Agriculture and catchment authorities and between authorities, the committee of management has urged the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council to institute a scheme of co-ordination of standards of land inventory and capability throughout

New Zealand. The council haa already taken action along these lines and is working _ with the Department of Agriculture to this end.

“The inaiitfute has recorded Site belief that the conservation run plan, whoch is the basis tor subsidy by the Soil Conservation and Ravens Control Council, it the most hopeful method Crf planning conservation measures at the same tame aa the runhoider is helped to maintain ar increase production. The bans of such a plan is experation “The institute believes that any suggestions for the withdrawal of land from grazing under a run plan must be Considered in connexion with development work on the lower, more stable country. Any withdrawal from class Vin land must obviously be a gradual process following on the production of extra feed elsewhere. There will be cases where complete withdrawal from class VW land will be impossible because of fencing difficulties, and here attention will be given to the question of grazing management and stock limitations as conservation methods.” Mr McCaskill said that the policy of the institute on burning could be stated by quoting a resolution recently forwarded as a recommendation to the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council. It said that burning should not be permitted on class VIII land and on sunny faces erf class VII land, and that burning on cold faces of class VH land and class VI land should be permitted only under strict conditions as to subsequent treatment. The institute considered that

a basic rule could be “no ttipming without replecement,” moaning that surface cover and canopy sufficient for toll protection should ba replaceable in one season by natural recovery ar by seeding and topdressing. The Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council had adopted this recommendation aa policy and had referred ft beck to the institute to call together catchment authorities and other interested parties for a discussion