SOIL EROSION

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25396, 28 December 1945, Page 6

SOIL EROSION

NEW CYCLE FEARED areas on east" coast The seriousness of Ne«f Zealand's erosion and soil conservation problem was indicated by the director of the Grasslands Division of the Department of Scientific Research, Mr E. Bruce Levy, recently when he said that a now cycle' of accelerated erosion was in the offing and would continue to aggrade the valleys, build new flats and add to existing ones unless the erosion was brought under reasonable control. MiLevy is a member of the central standing committee which advises the Soil Conservation Council. "The most serious erosion is undoubtedly in tho Poverty Bay Catchment Board area," said Mr Levy. "Steps on a national scale must be taken there immediately, for there is a real danger that all the Hats of the East Coast may become inundated .by soil and debris from the liills behind them. Vast Tracts Menaced "Controlled erosion may yet he a service to New Zealand in plain-building, in reducing steep, difficult hill country to an easier grade and in filling deep irorges jiiiil ravines that aro a menace to stock. Should that erosion proceed out of control, ruination faces vast tracts of valuable, highly-productive flat land of the Poverty Bay area. The Siime is true of Hawke's Bay and other parts of tho North Island where mudj stone, papa or shallow ocean-bed formations constitute tho backbone of the country. Where the backbone is hard rock the damage is not so real, but disaster faces tho lowland where a loose grave) structure dominates tho mountain ranges." Erosion there gave rise to grave screes which spread over tho bind, and they were to be dreaded more than the soft muds!ones, papa and sandy deposits, because ages must elapse before sufficient soil was built around the stones to farm the land successfully, said Mr Levy. Tho cravel screes must be brought under complete control or <i new erosion cvele would continue to build the vast gravel valleys, plains and fans that characterised the foothills and adjacent land along the main grevwacko ranges of the North and South l.sla nds.

Engineering Projects "The research projects are in the first place essentially engineering pro-, joe Is, to be assisted by grass, shrubs, trees or allorestation, ' said Mr Lc\y. "Stabilisation of the gullv and control of the normal river flow are the two prerequisites to gaining stability once more, both in soil and vegetative cover. Research should precede big remedial operations, but such research should he merely the vanguard of largescale control operations which may rapidly become so simplified _ that the farmer becomes his own engineer and his own authority in the matter of grasses to sow, the types of trees necessary and how to plant them to the best advantage." ' Mr Lew said research and extension, which should continue until control of tho problem was assured, should go on band-in-band under the co-ordinated control of catchment boards, the Soil Conservation Council and the State department. Large-scale Measures

An extensive scheme for dealing with a number of areas was detailed b,\ Mr Levy, who said that, to implement the outline of soil conservation research, the scheme must be a bold one and must inevitably work in with largescale control incisures. It would bo necessary to set up main bases and outstations," to possess machinery, plant and materials and to have technical and manual staff. The cost was difficult to assess, but a vote of £IOO.OOO would be necessary to implement the scheme, with an animal maintenance vote of £50,000. \\ith that the council, through the various boards and collaborating State departments, could carry out much pioneering research on a scale that would give a good practical lead to the main problem of soil erosion and conservation. "In this research and development work it is absolutely essential to put all the necessary money, labour and organising ability into each project so that failure, if any, cannot be ascribed to lack of funds or to careless and indifferent. management and organisation," said Mr Levy.

GUIDE FOR PARENTS REPORTS ON SCHOLARS INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL At the end of the school year, parents of pupils attending the Manuka.i Intermediate School received reports on each child's activities in a more comprehensive form than is usual at other schools. Alter the final examination, this school makes it a practice where a pupil is leaving to go on to a secondary school, to prepare for every parent a full survey of what the child has achieved in all branches of school work, and what are his or her interests. The parent is then invited to call and discuss tho choice of a secondary school and the course to be taken at that school. Usually about. 200 parents take advantage of this invitation, and call at the school to discuss a child's future.

All pupils are graded into seven grades, according to ability tests and probable learning rate. A cumulative record card is kept for eacli pupil. These cards are designed to suit the needs of the Manukau Intermediate .School and have no relation to the cards recently brought into use by the Education Department. On the cards, details are entered concerning health, attendance, attainments in standardised tests and attitude and performance tests, personality, special interests, and physical activities. Information under these various heads is collected throughout ihe child's stay at school, and even after the pupil has left, reports are obtained from 1 the Vocational Guidance Centre on what work the child has taken up and what, progress he or she is making in it.