Staff Losses Worry Nasseila Board

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31975, 30 April 1969, Page 12

Staff Losses Worry Nasseila Board

The turnover of men employed by the North Canterbury Nasseila Tussock Board was a constant drain on efficient work, the chairman of the board (Mr F. K. Forrester) said in his annual report to the board yesterday.

The board employed an average grubbing force of 120 during the year, but the grubbing gangs were not always up to the maximum number required to complete all the necessary grubbing, and as a result 19.000 hours of work was not done, said Mr Forrester. Some aerial seed control was done, but because of adverse weather not all the spraying was done at the correct time and some areas seeded this year. "This is not a very satisfactory position from the board’s point of view,” said Mr Forrester.

Reports showed that nassella tussock was being found in many outlying areas and the need for more rangers was more and more imperative, said Mr Forrester. At present the board employed 17 rangers. On Easter Monday 64 Fiji-

ans arrived and settled in to their new job, the operations manager (Mr D. W. McLellan) reported. For the term they were engaged It was expected that they would complete about 59,000 hours, about one-third of the total time required. The additional money needed to meet the estimated expenditure for 1969-70 was $35,584, reported the secretary (Mr G. A. Hay). Contributions from counties would be $3234 more than the pre sent $14,490.

The board agreed that the total levy from each county should be as follows: Amuri. $4215: Ashley. $1747; Cheviot. $2900: Waipara. $8862 The chairman of each county had agreed to the new figures. said Mr Hay. Mr Forrester was reelected chairman of the hoard and Mr A. A Macfarlane was elected vice-chair-man.