SOIL HERITAGE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21697, 26 April 1945, Page 6

SOIL HERITAGE

PROSPERITY’S BASIS CONSERVATION PROBLEMS CATCHMENT BOARD The vital nature of the tasks confronting the Poverty Bay Catchment Board was emphasised at Tuesday's initial meeting of the board, when a full attendance of members heard short addresses by Messrs. W. L. Newnham and. J. Callesen, chairman and member respectively of the Soil Conservation Council, outlining the general activities expected of district boards. There were present Messrs. J. Hair, R. Graham and H. M. White, representing the Cook County, Messrs. H. Hanes and F. H. Forge. Gisborne Borough, Messrs. H. J. F. Tombleson and G. M. Newman. Waikohu County. Messrs. D. W. W. Williams and P. W. Barratt, Waiapu County, Mr. H. .1. Lougher, jun„ Uawa County, Mr. E. W. McEnnis, district engineer of the Works Department, Mr. J. S. Strawbridge, chief surveyor of the Lands Department. Gisborne, Mi - . F . -T. Perham, acting conservator of forests. Rotorua, Mr. E. A. Madden, assistant director of grasslands division, Agricultural Department, and Mr. V. P. ' Boot, fields instructor. Agricultural Department. Gisborne. Messrs. Newnham and Callesen visited the meeting in company With Mr. D. M. Grover, secretary bf the Soil Conservation Council, and Mr. A. P. Grant, engineer to the council. Mr, F. T. Robinson, clerk of the Cook County Council, acted as secretary of the new board pro tem, and conducted the election of the first chairman. . Tire nomination of Mr. J. Hair as chairman of the board was offered by Mr. Hanes, and seconded by Mr. Williams. No other nomination being forthcoming, Mr. Hair took the chair. He said the board had set its hand to a big task that would require the support of the people of the district and the advice and co-operation of the parent body, the Soil Conservation and Flood Control Council. Mr. Newnham assured the board of the full sympathy and co-operation of his council in its task. <

Not Beyond Repair

The problems were not so serious in New Zealand as in some other eouhttries, said Mr. Newnham. ft had not gone beyond repair, and it only remained, for authorities such as this to tackle their tasks with enthusiasm to improve the position materially. The general scheme of conservation of New Zealand’s soil was dealt with briefly .by Mr, Newnham, who referred fo the different, tasks to be faced in.the North 'and South Islands respectively. Of the cultivated and pasture lands of New Zealand at least some must- be returned to Nature and allowed to regenerate itself with growth that would hold the country together. Conditions in this district exemplified the principal task of tnc North Island boards, for on all hands the action of streams and rivers was to be .seen in the gradual erosion of the hills, and the deposit on the flat lands of part of the spoil brought down. The Soil Conservation Council had a big programme, which included the fullest aid to the district boards in the matter pf publicity and education, which must be an integral part of soil conservation. . The soil of New Zealand was the country’s great heritage, said Mr. Newnham. and he believed that the work of the council and the district boards would help greatly to conserve that heritage for the future generations. Mr. Calleson said the Poverty Bay board would have a big flood-control problem, as well as a big soil-conser-vation task. He urged that before any was taken it would be subjected to the closest engineering' scrutiny. He felt that the greatest caution should be exercised in riverbanking, for as long as water was confined between artificial banks there would be danger of serious inundations. In his own home area there was a locality of 20,000 acres from which the river was held back by floodbanks. and people in that locality lived in constant dread of flooding.