TREE-PLANTING AREA IN DANGER

Northern Advocate, 23 March 1937, Page 7

TREE-PLANTING AREA IN DANGER

Conservator fOf Issues Warning Following an inspection, the Conservator of Forests, Auckland, advised the Whangarei Borough Council last night that reasonable precautions were not being taken to safeguard the council’s tree-planting area at the back of Parahaki. In a detailed report, the conservator stated that the first essential was easy access, in order that staff might be quickly on the scene in case of fire. He recommended the provision of various tracks and the closing, whereever possible, of unused, roads. Tool caches should be established or tools kept in the houses of sympathetic neighbours on Dundas Road. Borough employees, and if necessary, other readily available workmen should be organised and transport arranged for in case of emergency. Advice On Fire Breaks. Fire breaks, the conservator stated, should be one chain wide, and three or more furrows, sufficient to • allow the inflammable vegetation to be burnt on the space between without danger, should be ploughed on either side. Where ploughing was impossible, the ground should be hand chipped. Where rush or raupo swamps crossed the break, a trench four to six feet wide at the top and two or three feet deep should be dug full width of the swamp and allowed to fill with water. The conservator further recommended, that an area including the plantation and surrounding sections be laid out and gazetted a fire district under the Forests Act. Independent Report Wanted. Cr. J. Donaldson moved that the report be referred back to the parks committee for further report and that an independent report be obtained for use in conjunction with that of the conservator. Cr. J. F. Brown: We should get a report from an independent, practical man. So far we have only had the opinions of the man who planted the trees, and those of so-called experts. Ci’. J. W. Parkin: We would achieve more by taking one report and working to it, instead of causing further confusion by receiving a third advice. Last year we lost several thousand trees for want of supervision, and the sooner we make a start, at least with such important recommendation as those concerning fire breaks, the less the risk will be. Cr. G. H .Morrish; It is obvious, from the report, that our reserve is in danger. The parks committee will analyse it and bring down recommendations for work which should be undertaken urgently. The motion was carried.