SAND DUNE AFFORESTATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 4419, 15 November 1934, Page 3

SAND DUNE AFFORESTATION.

REPORT ON INITIAL STEPS

At Tuesday’s meeting of the Manawatu County Council a progress report on the proposal to plant the sand dune coastal lands between the Manawatii and Rangitikei rivers with trees was presented to members by the Chairman (Mr W. E. Barber). He said that he bad attended a conference at which were present Mr M. A. Eliott, Mr W. H. Cadwallader (Unemployment Officer) and Mr Sharp (Public Works Engineer) and at that conference it. had been agreed that nothing could be done until a plan had been prepared showing the areas that could he planted and the names of the owners. A camp would have to be installed as well as a nursery where the trees could be raised. The Council decided to await the plan before doing anything further in the . matter. It was pointed .out that in connection with the camp the following points were of importance : Water supply, cooking arrangements, transport and firewood. With, regard to the planting work the Chairman advocated the setting up of a nursery for the supply of trees, the supervision of which would require a special man. Material would be required for all fences, including scrub fences. Marram grass supplies woud have to be found. It would be necessary to-pro-vide a truck, and running costs, also tools for the men. The supervision of the men would take one ganger to every twenty. The insurance of the men employed other than those working under the Unemployment Board’s scheme would also have to be met. He estimated the total cost of the operation would amount to between _£6 and £7 per acre of planted I 'trees, and the maintenance of gear could be estimated at £5 per annum. The trees would be a liability for 20 years owing to the need for fire prevention and supervision.