WASHED AWAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8191, 5 August 1912, Page 4

WASHED AWAY.

{Editor, Labor Page, “N.Z. Times.”)

Sir, —It is with extreme pleasure 1 notice that Mr Scott has called attention to a great evil that has worried me for many years, namely, that exceedingly valuable land in river flats and pockets hijjg 13 being washed away, and nothing but the boulders left in its place. 1 do not know what Mr Scott moans when ho says: “The return from mining claims often amounted to no more than the value of agricultural land destroyed.” Agricultural land can be used for thousands of years—l presume for ever—if rotation of crops and replacement of soil constituents is effective. Does he mean the “ annual ” value of the land for agricultural purposes ? If so, the" case is bad indeed. In Roxburgh one can see where practically a whole valley has been swept away and down to the sea, nothing but boulders left in its place. It is said that fruit and forest trees will grow in its place. If it is topdressed with a foot or so of soil that may be so, but it is very doubtful. The curious thing is that this same silt that Is lost on the river flats is deposited Jnany miles down the river, filling np the river-beds, causing floods, silting up natural reservoirs for flood-waters, but the major portion, that is the finest particles of the soil, which is inost needed where it is first disturbed, is carried out to sea, and lost, if not for ever, at least it is lost to mankind until tho next cataclysm occurs.—l am, etc., OBSERVER. Dunedin, August Ist.