EROSION PROBLEMS

Evening Star, Issue 23065, 17 September 1938, Page 32

EROSION PROBLEMS

GOVERNMENT ACTION WELCOMED £Pee United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, September 16. Asked to-day to comment on the Government’s setting up of a committee to inquire into the deterioration and erosion problems, Mr A. P. O’Shea, Dominion secretary of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, said this move would be welcomed by the farming community. He considered, however, that the committee would be very much strengthened by the inclusion of two practical farmers who had had experience of grazing problems, particularly m North Island country. The Government should see that the committee was given full power to report publicly on the position as it saw it. Mr O’Shea stated that he had just returned from a visit to an area in the North Island where the question of det.erioration of the country was becoma burning one. Danthonia and rat’s tall were gradually creeping into large areas, as was manuka and gorse, mainly because the farmers had no money to deal with this land, and if they had it was not profitable to do so at present. It was ironical that large sums of money were being spent on improving access into this country. The money that was being spent on public works would be much better expended on the lands they served. Another matter requiring urgent attention was the graduated land tax. the land tax was killing this country. J\ew Zealand must roaise that if the production of sheep was to be kept up the land tax must go.