SWAMP DRAINAGE AND TREE PLANTING.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 26, 31 January 1908, Page 2

SWAMP DRAINAGE AND TREE PLANTING.

The Under-Sccietary for Lands (Mr. W. C. Kensington), who roturaed to Wellington from the Noithon Wednesday iy muck impressed with the pro/tress made in connection with the drainage of the Government portion of tho great Piakc- swamp. Mr. Brcakell, C.E., who formulated «iucl supervised the reclamation of the Mukcnia. swamp — cloec to the Mcnawalu railway line— has sol about the work in the Fiako district in a busi-ness-like way, and Mr. Kensington is confident that the scheme wilf result very profitably for tho State. While in the Itotorua district Mr. , Kensington enquired iuto matters in connection with tho Government project to convert waste /pumico lands into reserves. lie inspected the area planted in trees at Waiotayu by prison Irtiour, with a view to ascertaining what additional area shall bo devoted to continuous tree-planting. The area, already under cultivation proves that tiMs can be profitably and successfully giown on pumice laud. In the vicinity of the Kaingaroa Plains there are over 400,000 acies moTo or less composed of pumice bud. I

Members of Good Templar lodges on the battleships in port were the guests of the llopa of Prtono Lodge of 1.0. G.T., on Tucsidny, and the Ranfurly Hall was crowded. Hru. T. Townsend, C.T., piesided, and the meeting was most enjoyable and enthusiastic. The programme, which was mostly givon by the naval brothers, was as follows : --Overture, Sister M'Ewan; recitation, Bro. Little ; song, Bro. F. Flyn ; duet, banjo and Velio, Bros. King and Osman; recitation, Bro. Reid j song, Bro. Triu'tt ; song, Bro. Chamberlain j recitations, 1 Sister Edlin and Bro. Mothes j mandoline solo, Bro. King ; duet, Bros. Kinc; and Osinan ; songs. Bros. M'Ewan, J'j\vl»nder, Ingiam, Robertson, nncl Clothes. One new member was initiated.