CUTTING BACK TREES

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 4811, 20 February 1936, Page 5

CUTTING BACK TREES

DAMAGE TO POWER LINES. PLEA FOR CONSERVATION. “If trees do break a line here and there, they are are worth it,” said Mr. W. S. Cato, chairman of the Waitomo Power Board, when on Monday he made a plea that the Board should interfere with trees.as little as possible consistent with safety and continuity of supply. He realised it was a difficult matter, but did not think anything drastic should be done to trees unless it was necessary. This statement was made after the engineer reported the recent storm and had drawn attention to the necessity for even more drastic action than was taken at present* About 20 to 30 faults had been attended to on Sunday, February 2, and notice was afterwards received of another 10 or 12 faults caused by the storm. In view of the newspaper discussions over the matter of trees and power lines' recently, the engineer outlined the procedure followed when trees were to he trimmed. The farmer or consumer was approached and it was pointed out that it was necessary for the trees to be trimmed. Then the Board employees performed the work. It was found to be of little use to ask the consumer to do the work, as he either forgot it or felled the trees across the line. The Manawatu area was cited as having suffered very severely, but it was pointed out that this was an old established district, and shelter belts had been planted before the lines were erected —the lines were generally first in the Waitomo area.

The engineer said that the trees in this area were becoming worse every year. Pinus insignus and bluegurh were found to be most troublesome, the latter particularly because of its phenomenal growth.