Department Comments On Molesworth Review

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31864, 17 December 1968, Page 7

Department Comments On Molesworth Review

“Much publicity has been given to the review which a specially appointed committee is making of Molesworth Station and, due to the representation of the New Zealand Forest Service and the Tourist and Publicity Department on the committee, some published comments have written more into the review than is intended,” says the latest pastoral lands newsletter of the Department of Lands and Survey. “When Molesworth was passed to the department in 1938, long years of sheep farming, continued burning off and a particularly severe rabbit infestation had brought erosion and general depletion to a stage which made farming by the previous occupiers uneconomic. "The return to usefulness as a farming proposition has been a slow process and has been achieved only with careful management and without stocking with sheep. Much of the credit for the steady progress must go to Mr M. M.: (Bill) Chisholm whose knowledge of large scale run cattle farming in New Zealand is unchallenged. Massive rabbit eradication programmes have been, and are still being, carried out and with careful grazing the vegetation on the property has reached a stage where it can support approximately 9000 cattle. “While, the department is proud of the achievements on Molesworth, it acknowledges that examination of established procedures can only be helpful, no matter how sound an enterprise like this appears. The committee which has been appointed is considering the future use of Molesworth, including the public use of parts of the pro-

perty for some other purpose. “However, the committee has also been asked to look at the department’s use of the land to ensure there is no way in which this can be improved- If these studies can bring any advances in the use of Molesworth, the lead given in the management of this type of country could benefit other similar properties in the South Island,” the newsletter said.