Readers Write

Northern Advocate, 17 May 1943, Page 2

Readers Write

After reading your report, “N.A. Fowbr Eoard Concessions to Users,” in Friday night’s “Advocate,” and re-

membering Mr J FOWER BOARD A. McLean’s prior POLICY remit anent a revision in power charges, I was disappointed to note the board’s austere attitude towards the town peasants and their small but economic use of current. Mr J. A. S. Mac Kay has, through the Press, so frequently ignored their claims that it would appear he wields a big stick among the board members to the detriment of the peasant who cannot retaliate except with your assistance, whil.e uniform charges for current would assist the peasant considerably more than the increased discount. It is evident that . the board does not acknowledge the fact that some of the townships were roped into the board’s area for the purpose of guaranteeing the success of the scheme, and now. when the chances are favourable, the board refuses to grant these peasants a relief from guarantees that primarily were a necessity. Sdrely justice to the peasant should come before relief to the profitmaking industries.— J. WILSON (’Kamo).

Some few weeks back a Cabinet Minister, when discussing the doctor “flare-up” in the Hikurangi Hall, told

C.Os. AND THE WAR

his audience he did not believe in wax and that he be-

longed to a sect that did ■ not believe in war. - With a good sprinkling of young men in the hall, many of whom are due to go into a military camp, was iiuch a confession conducive to augmenting the fighting spirit cf those tads? This draws attention to the fact that some 600 conchies are holed up somewhere in safety and in sunny surroundings, at a cost of soldiers and civilians alike.

They have declared under examination that they would not raise a hand to defend their wives and daughters or sweethearts from violation by Japanese soldiers. These men are not subject to any penalties whatever and will be free to do as they like when the war is over. Is that to be allowed? How long would that great man, Joseph Stalin, on top cf the world as such a drag on his war effort? A soldier, leader and organiser, tolerate brick wall, a machine-gun, exit the drag, and on with total war. The only way to win a war.

Under a new and solid Administration it may be possible to make use cf this army of conchies. Greece and Crete will shortly be crying aloud for men. What about sending them? — “THE BREAKER.”

I was pleased to see Mrs Given's letter in last Friday night’s “Advocate,” and I should like to add to

PINES VERSUS NATIVE PLANTS

tter's my plea for the native plants. The native forest is so beautiful

and so essentially right. This is a case where man cannot improve on Nature —in fact, where it is unwise and uncafe to try to do so. Ecology, the study of plants in re lation to their environment, reveals this commonsense -fact in a very telling way. This study of plant associations unfolds before the true student of Nature the story of the relationship borne by one plant to its neighbours in the forest, and of how this relationship affects as life plant, bird and insect —in its own appointed domain; in other words, the balance of Nature.

Applied to Northland, we And that Nature has to cope with steep hilly country and a sub-tropical climate. Therefore, she has clothed the hills with a vegetation that can cope with torrential rains. This our own Native forest does —where it stil remains— With its .thick canopy of evergreens, its lianas, and its dense undergrowth. If we are to preserve the balance of Nature we must see to it that we have our hills covered with their own native forest, or at least trees that will behave in the same manner; so that we will have watersheds, not water-races; so that the good soil ot New Zealand is built up and replenished by the forests on the hilltops and that' that of the farmlands on the flat and alluvial country will remain there instead of rushing out to sea each time we have good rain. This point of erosion is the greatest case against the pines. Pine trees may bring in a welcome revenue in 20 or 30 years’ time. But what then? They will leave behind them a dead and poisoned soil that will grow nothing, and they will create a problem of eicsion far greater than the already urgent one that faces us today. Pines., nice to look at, and pleasantly scented, may be all right in their proper place, but they do not belong here, and cannot cope with our rainfall. I have seen a whole hillside, pines and all, come down because they were not the proper type of bush to let the heavy rain down gently, .or to hold the soil. Perhaps, if erosion is sufficiently encouraged by the cutting of native forest, and the planting of pines, Nature may be forced to take a hand again to restore the balance, and send earthquakes to push up some more soil.—K. PICKMERE.