CLOCK SITES AND SOIL EROSION

Grey River Argus, 28 September 1944, Page 8

CLOCK SITES AND SOIL EROSION

(To the Editor). Sir, —Recently dicussion has centred round the selection of a suitable site for the clock which is shortly to be taken from its present position in the Post Office tower, —sc.me citizens, and councillors too, are said to favour its erection on the hill-top where a tentative site is now indicated by a large clock face, as a sign, I suppose, of oetter times to come. Bulletin No. 1 of the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council refers to the “menace of soil erosion as the most potent cause of the fall or past civilizations and empires whose ruined cities lie ' buried amid arid wastes that once were fertile lands." Is it not a strange and ironic commentary on “modern progress’’ that not one voice has so far been heard to point out the condition of that same hillside, —i.e. a condition or ‘■‘accelerated man induced erosion.”

Let anyone with normal eyesight take a stand where he can open up a comprehensive view of the hill face on the crest of which it is proposed to place the clock. He will see clearly that limestone outcrop coming through along the whole length of the hill, —sheet erosion in full action, and where this spur joins tne out-lier from the main range where there is fully visible the classic example of “gully erosion.” An elementary acquaintance with the factors of soil erosion will give even a casual observer the impression that in a matter of perhaps ot only a few years that section of our city beautiful will assume the appearance so familiar on some of tne hills of Marlborough, where there is unmistakeably written the sad story 1 of man made erosion,—dead eartn, sprawling slides of grey rock and shingle,—incontrovertible evidence ot the misuse of our land. At the present rate of erosion on this Greymouth area it seems proo- j able that before many years are past there will be here a major land movement of a dangerous character. What that hillside needs urgently is reclothing with its natural vegetation that even now would regenerate itself if given half a chance. It seems to me that to consider the erection of a clock on t'he hill site whilst ignoring the forces of erosion that are working over time there indictates a blind and bland philosopny that refuses to put first things first. Let us have “progress” by all means, but'we should remember that we can’t raise ourselves up by tugging at our boot laces.

I am etc., “QUIET THOUGHTS." INANGAHUA MINERS (To the Editor). Sir. —I do not reply to Mr. Salmon for the purpose of entering into a controversy with him, because I have submitted correct figures in the same issue as his letter. If he requires, to see these he can interview our sec-retary—full-time—which is more than Burke’s Creek can do; despite tne huge sums of money that they must be earning. But I reply to him, Sir, to protest, with all the power at my command, against his attempt to belittle, ridicule, and misrepresent tne Inangahua Miners’ Union. He states that we have “pinched” - improvements in wages and conditions from the United Mine workers, without paying for same. I will not enter into a controversy with him by admitting or denying these accusations. I leave it to your readers; but I can honestly say that, as a militant boay, we have never “pinched” jobs from fellow-workers and prevented them from gaining an objective. And it is. a definite slur on members of this Union for Mr. Salmon to state that we would not strengthen the Burke's Creek Union. This statement is against members of a Union which is the last Miners’ Union in New Zealand to give up an official fight against free labour,- and well Mr.Salmon knows this fact, but has conveniently forgotten it. He may have the backing of 5,000 men or 25,000 men, but if those thousands get. out two of the men I mention, surely those thousands must be strengthened; but Mr. Salmon thinks otherwise. I wonder why. His concluding remarks demand that. I stick to gold industry Well this is free New Zealand not Hitlerite Germany and where I sell my labour is of no consequence to Mr. Salmon; and as one privileged to observe his form, I say, that if I knew no more about, gold mining than Mr. Salmon does about coal mining, then Fleaven help the industry. I am etc., ED. C. CHANDLER, Waiuta, September 26.