“Tremendous” Gain Against Nassella Tussock

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31154, 2 September 1966, Page 1

“Tremendous” Gain Against Nassella Tussock

The North Canterbury Nassella Tussock Board had made tremendous progress since its last review in 1960, the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council’s representative on the board (Mr D. R. Wilkie) said yesterday at a meeting of the board.

Presenting a report by the board’s policy review committee, Mr Wilkie said that nucleus areas had been reduced from nine to one, there was little or no seed dispersal, grubbing hours had increased from 50,019 in 1960 to 145,514 in 1966, and ranging hours had increased from 20,221 to 28,517.

“The gist of this policy statement is that we should carry on as we have done,” I Mr Wilkie said. I The board, after discussing 'the committee’s report at some length, deferred the adoption of policy recommendations until the next I meeting.

Some members disagreed with a suggestion that charges for ranger-grubbing work be raised from 8s to 10s an hour. Mr Wilkie said the committee thought that an increased charge would encourage the farmer to do this work himself. Mr A. A. Macfarlane said he did not think farmers could do more. “A runholder with only a shepherd as help just [can’t do it,” he said. The report said it was essential that the existing pressure be maintained, as any slackening would allow regeneration to take place.

The board had returned four nucleus areas to the land-owners, would return two more on January 1, 1967, and a seventh would revert to the owner on January 1, 1968. PROBLEM AREAS Discussing problem areas bought by the Government, the report summarised increased production from this land, and said, that although the main job was completed, it would be many years before resettlement would be safe. In 1960, the designated nucleus area totalled 3550 acres on 13 farms. Through the Crown buying seven properties, and the successful treatment of nine farms by the board, there was now only one 138-acre nucleus area. Treatment of the board’s areas had reduced the nucleus nassella to the stage where the board felt that the farmer himself could do the work without financial hardship. Seed blow was no longer a problem. Seedling control had been achieved on arable country and applications to nonarable land were being considered.

In earlier years, nassella seed contaminated sheep’s fleeces. In autumn, 1966, a survey showed no contamination. There was greater awareness by farmers of their responsibilities, and a general realisation that efforts must persist KOWAI COUNTY

The board's work on the north-east corner of Kowai county, with the efforts of farmers, had increased carrying capacity from 9196 ewe equivalents in 1960 to 12,556 ewe equivalents in 1966, the report said.

Total costs on this area would be about £38,000 for the board, and about the same for the farmers, though some of the farmers’ expenditure would be for development work giving an appreciable capital gain. At Teviotdale, where the board had spent £25,000 on the non-arable land, plus £16,000 by the owner, ewe equivalents had risen from 3500 in 1962 to 4000 in 1966, with fleece weights increased by Ulb to 1111 b. The report said that the Government had continued its annual subsidy, which, with county contributions, made £65,495 a year available. At least 50 per cent of grubbing charges were required to be

recovered from farmers, and this work was charged to them at 7s a man hour. In 1962, total expenditure on control was £68,422. Last year, expenditure totalled £108,718, of which £1714 was capital expense. RECOMMENDATIONS The committee recommended that on all arable land, as defined, owners should bear the full cost of control and eradication, except that if any one property showed a progressive reduction of a large area, the board might subsidise work on the remainder. With the success of control in the north-east corner of Kowai County, the committee recommended a progressive reduction in board spending over the next four years. This would mean that by 1970 10 properties would have to bear all normal grubbing charges.

Continuation of the gang grubbing and ranger-grubbing policy was recommended, at charges of 7s an hour for

grubbing and an increase to 10s an hour for ranging-grub-bing from January 1 next. The seedling-control spraying subsidy should stay at 10s an acre, with strong encouragement to farmers to use it, and the board should collaborate with Department of Agriculture field trials, the report said. The committee said that the tree-planting and access track subsidy should be continued. “AN EYE-OPENER” Mr Wilkie drew attention to progress on the Govern-ment-purchased problem properties, of which there are five. He described the production increases—some of 100 per cent and more—as an eye-opener. “Surely we will eventually tire the nassella plant out,” commented Mr Macfarlane. “If we prevent it from seeding for 10 years, we must eradicate it.”

The chairman (Mr G. T. Maxwell): I agree.