Sir Andrew Linton Sees Pest Damage

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31448, 15 August 1967, Page 14

Sir Andrew Linton Sees Pest Damage

“I have never seen pasture-land damage to the extent, there is in Canterbury at present,” said the ehairman of the Dairy Board (Sir Andrew Linton) yesterday after visiting properties in central Canterbury to see the ravages of grass grub and porina caterpillar.

Sir Andrew Linton visited the properties that had been inspected by the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Taiboys) and the chairman of the Meat Board (Sir John Ormond). “The general level of production will be seriously curtailed, and unless some remedy is found this will be a tragedy for the farming industry,” he said. “Obviously the returns to the farmers in the affected areas will be substantially reduced. These people are facing very grave difficulties.” Sir Andrew Linton said that he had heard a lot in Wellington about the position in Canterbury, and he was glad to have had the opportunity to look over the area. He had been invited to come by Mr A. C. Wright, a member of the Meat Board. Others who accompanied him on his tour of inspection were Mr A. F.

Wright, chairman of the combined committee of North, Mid, and South Canterbury Federated Farmers on grass grub and porina, and Mr W. N. Dunlop, vice-president of North Canterbury Federated Farmers. Sir Andrew Linton said that the damage was fantastic. The fact that there was now some spring growth on some areas tended to highlight damaged areas which did not have a blade of grass on them. Sir Andrew Linton said he was not in a position to comment on the Government’s decision to allow oiled wet mix D.D.T. super to be used in the province, but he hoped that the statutory boards might be able to assist the Government in ensuring that intensive research was directed to the problem. Until some substitute material was found, he felt that D.D.T. should be used against the pests, under proper and rigid control. In the meantime it seemed to be the only remedy.