LAND DETERIORATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20218, 1 April 1929, Page 10

LAND DETERIORATION.

CONCERN IN CANTERBURY. NEGLECT IN BACK COUNTRY. Statements that land in Canterbury was deteriorating at an alarming pace were made at a meeting of tho North Canterbury provincial executive of tho New Zealand Farmers' Union. It was docided to support a proposal to set up a Deteriorated Lands' Board, the majority of members of the board to bo representatives of tho farmers. "I doubt if half, the farmers of Canterbury know what ragwort is," said Mr. D. J. Hawke. He said that this pest would creep down on the plains from the hills. Nothing was being done to check tho spread of Californian thistle, and blackborry was also spreading. The men who occupied big tracks of land were doing nothing to check these growths. He could point out properties that had gono back £3 and £4 an acre during the past five years. This meant that rates were going back and that production was decreasing. Back in tho hill country blackberry was spreading by the acre, added Mr. Hawke. Ho hoped that the Government would do something by forcing tho subdivision of properties. He urged the Farmers' Union, to do something to keep the hill country from becoming a mass of weeds. Mr. J. D. Hall said that Mr. J. Livingston, who reported on the subject with Mr. Poison, had said that half the trouble was caused by inefficient control of Land Boards. Land was deteriorating in Canterbury to-day at an alarming pace. It was not ■ only ragwort, blackberry and Californian thistle that were causing concern, but there was also twitch, which was worso than ho had seen it for years.