Otamatea Willow Clearing Tests

Northern Advocate, 21 August 1948, Page 4

Otamatea Willow Clearing Tests

PAPAROA, Sat. (Sp.).—Using a heavy tractor equipped with a winch, preliminary experimental work in a major scheme for clearing willows from the Kikowhiti Stream has now been carried out by the Otamatea County Council. Authorised at the council’s July meeting to spend .£IOO upon experimental work, the county engineer (Mr A. W. Tassell) reported at Wednesday's meeting of progress made. Mr Tassell said he had not spent the full authorised sum of money, but sufficient work had been carried out to enable him to form a general opinion on the problems affecting the pulling of willows by tractor and also to arrive at an approximation of the cost. CONCLUSIONS “From the experimental work carried ou!, the following conclusions have been reached,” Mr Tassell said. (1) “All willows can be pulled by the tractor and winch method, aided where necessary by the use of blocks and/or gelignite. (2) “The size of the machine should not be less than the TDJ International tractor, or its equivalent, two machines of this size probably being the best combination. “One machine should be fitted with a dozer blade for: (a) Pushing trees into heaps on the banks; (b) assisting in the pulling of stubborn trees; (c) j acting as a ‘dead man’ when nothing else is available. (3) “Willows should bg pulled when! the stream contains a fair quantity! of water, as the roots are then more j or less floating. (4) “In spite of the fact that this small experimental piece averaged approximately £lO a chain, no set rule for close estimating can be ap-i plied owing to the great number of j unknown factors which apply to every stream and every tree. PREVAILING CONDITIONS “Each case will have to be taken! on the conditions prevailing, and I am j of the opinion that an experimental) section will have to be done for every stream, in order to arrive at a figure for that area. “From experience gained, a fairly close estimate of cost can be arrived at for the Kikowhiti Stream project." Mr Tassell said that the original estimates were based upon figures com-| piled after a few chains of willows had been pulled more or less haphazardly, but that in the light of the more recent experiment, the cost of completely eradicating all willows would need revision.

Revised estimates were produced by Mr Tassell, but these were not made available tor publication. “I would like to state that the pulling of willows by machinery must of necessity always be an expensive undertaking, and in most cases is economically very unsound.” he added. “I am of the opinion that more research is necessary in the killing or poisoning method.” Mr Tassell's report was received. Appeal Dismissed WELLINGTON, Sat. (P.A.) .—The Court of Appeal yesterday delivered judgment on an appeal brought by David Leslie James Reddaway, of Auckland, against his conviction on a charge of unlawful use of an instrumnet with intent to procure a miscarriage.

The court held that the trial Judge was correct in admitting certain evidence, that his directions to the jury were adequate and that his summingup was impartial and drew the attention of the jury to all the relevant facts.

The court dismissed the appeal. On a further appeal against the sentence of three years’ imprisonment with hard labour it was held that it was not excessive and should not be varied.

PERSONAL . . . The appointment of two New Zealand Army officers as honorary physician and honorary surgeon respectively to the King was announced by the Minister of Defence (Mr Jones) last night. Colonel R. D. King. C.8.E., D. 5.0.. M.D., M.R.C.P. (London), F.R.A.C.P., has been appointed honorary physician in succession to Major-General Sir Fred Bowerbank who retired from the Army last veai\ Colonel (Temporary Brigadier) W. H. B. Bull. C.8.E., E.D., M. 8., Ch. 8.. F.R.C.S (Edinburgh), Director-Gen-eral of Medical Services (Army and Air), has been appointed honorary surgeon in succession to Colonel (Temporary-Brigadier) IC. MacCormiek. who was posted to the P.cservc of Officers on June 15.

The Rev. R. K. Dobson, who has been an assistant curate at Christ Church. Whangarei, has been appointed a chaplain in the New Zealand Regular Army arM will be stationed at Trentham Military Camp.