BATTLE TO CONTROL NASSELLA WON

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30916, 24 November 1965, Page 1

BATTLE TO CONTROL NASSELLA WON

A massive break-through had been possible in nassella tussock control by the use of new chemicals, said the chairman of the Government Inter-Departmental Committee (Mr S. H. Saxby), which yesterday inspected the results achieved on 200,000 acres of hill country to the seaward side of Amberley and Waipara.

The committee, which was accompanied by members of the North Canterbury Nassella Tussock Board, was told that thousands of acres of arable land had been “recovered,” and of work being done by the Lands and Survey Department and Forest Service on non-arable country.

Mr Saxby said that impressive results had been obtained on the block through the administrative ability Of the board, Government money and the willingness of farmers to use good seed, good fertiliser and good management to regenerate the land.

“Results are very heartening,” he said. “Ten years ago, it was a battle that looked as though it could not be won. Now, it can be said

that the battle has been won.” Referring to 6700 acres of the block which have been taken over by the Crown, and of which 1500 acres have been taken for forest planting, Mr Saxby said that the Lands and Survey Department was doing a good job in a real problem area, though it would be from 10 to 20 years before this land could be resettled.

The committees, said Mr Saxby, had the job of looking at the board’s activities and reporting for the guidance of the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Taiboys), who was responsible for recommending substantial Government spending. The board’s chairman (Mr T. G. Maxwell) said that “many thousands” of acres of arable land had been brought back to production in the last five years. Individual farmers, by management, cultivation and development, were adding an average of 100 acres a year to their properties.

The party was shown large tracts of farm land now virtually free from nassella in what was once the board’s show-piece for heavy infestation. Control is down to grubbing or spraying seedlings in many places. The area covered by the inspection is about 10 miles long by three miles deep, running north from the end of Pegasus Bay. It is heavily eroded by gullies and is networked by well over 100 miles of tracks and roads for nassella-control access. Lands and Survey Department work on seaward faces and flat points was described by Mr S. Taylor, where cultivation broke the back of the nassella and spraying now controls seedlings. Carrying capacity had doubled from two ewes and a half to five ewes to the acre, and cattle are also run.

Mr H. Wilson, of the Forest Service, spoke of treeplanting work done on parts of the 1500-acre forestry block, and said the work would continue, the aim being to get a tree canopy to enclose nassella and stop seed blowing. Mr Maxwell pointed out land that, he said, was a solid mass of nassella five years ago, restored to good pasture. He praised the enterprise of farmers in opening up, clearing and grassing the land, and in after-control of nassella seedlings. The committee represents six Government departments interested in the salvage of nassella tussock country. Mr Saxby is an officer of the Department of Agriculture, and other members are Messrs A. R. Dingwall (Agriculture), J. R. Kingston (Valuation), C. J. Kite (Internal Affairs), N. S. Coad (Lands and Survey). A. J. Healy (Scientific and Industrial Research) and R. J. Ranger (Forest Service), with Mr C. I. Blincoe as secretary.