BOXTHORN HEDGES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 1 November 1928, Page 4

BOXTHORN HEDGES

(To the Editor.) Sir, —At the annual meeting of the South Taranaki Automobile Association exception was taken to people burning boxthorn trimmings on. the roadside. -It was claimed that this was a breach of the by-laws, and it was decided to draw- the attention of the authorities to the matter. This is a matter of very great importance to the farmer, and tne association should nave consulted some of its farmer members before it took any action. Every farmer in the district lias boxthorn hedges, which are grown not only for the purpose of keeping liis cattle within bounds, but to provide them with shelter, and to compel him to keep them trimmed down to three or four feet would be equivalent to compelling him to cut down a belt of shelter trees. When these fences get too big they are cut and burned,, but not all at once. They are done in sections, so as not- to rob the stock of the much-needed shelter. If the burning is properly done no harm results, and as practically every farmer now has a motor car lie is pretty careful over it. Should ne_ he debarred from burning the trimmings on the roadside his- task would be increased fourfold, also the danger to the motorists, as the trimmings would have '"o be dragged considerable distances. * i am, etc., OKAIAWA.