SAND DUNES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10813, 1 February 1921, Page 7

SAND DUNES

• AFFORESTATION SCHEME LET WEEN PAEKAKARIKI AND MANAWATU. DEPUTATION TO PREMIER. A deputation introduced by Mr W. H. Field, M.P., laid bfcfore the Prime Minister yesterday the following resolution carried by a conference, held on January 14th, of the Wanganui, Rangitikei, Horowhenua, and Mauawatu County Council*, the Wellington Provincial Farmers’ Union and the Manawatu and West Coast A. and P'. Association: — "That this conference strongly affirms that the sand dune area on the West Coast of this island should be afforested and accordingly urges upon the Government to make an annual grant of .£IOOO per annum for five years for the purpose of enabling an. experimental station to be set up by the Foresty Department for demonstration purposes. 100,000 ACRES. Mr Field, who apologised for the absence of Messrs D. Newman and W. A. Veitch, M.P.’e stated that there were 100,000 acres of sand dunes, much of it of a drifting character, between Paekakariki and Manawatu. In the interests pf the Dominion this should be covered up with something, and experience showed that pinus insignia, which, was else very much needed for butter-boxes, was the best thing to grow there. Mr IC. W. Da-lrymple, representing the Wellington Provincial Farmers' Union, said that there were 200 butter and cheese factories in districts adjacent to the sand dpnes, and the timber would be an immense boon to them. PINE PLANTING. Mr H. Y. Lethbridge (Rangitikei County Council) said that if planted in pinus insignis the waste land would in or 40 years time be worth .<£3oo to .£4OO an acre. Mr G. A. Monk (chairman, Horowhchua Countv Council) said that the whole of the dunes was not Crown land, but a portion of the Crown land might 1 e taken for the experimental station,, and he suggested that it would he a good idea for the Government to take all the private land at a valuation and plant the whole of the 100,000 acres. Mr G. L. Marshall (Manawatu A. and P. Association) strongly supported the suggestion, stating that it was of great importance to adjoining owneTe that this drafting sand should be stopped. Mr Leigh Hunt said that he had been asked bv Sir James to support the resolution very heartily both on Sir James's behalf and on that of the .New Zealand Forestry League. Mr W. Barber (Manawatu County Council) strongly supported the resolution. PRIME MINISTER’S REPLY. IN NEXT YEAR’S ESTIMATES? Mr Masaey, in reply, said that the Government, in setting up the Forestry Department and in setting aside millions of acres of land for forestry purposes, • had shown its earnestness in regard to forestry matters. The problem of the sand dunes was not by any means a new one to him, as it had been discussed on the Forestry Estimates by every Parliament he had been in, and it wae time something was done. A start had been made in the Auckland district in planting pines to prevent the encroachment of drifting sand, but the men employed in the work had gone to the war and nothing ipore had been done. He himself represented a district which went down to the West Coast, and the sand had m some places drifted over made roads. This was really Forestry Department work. The whole of the Cabinet and of Parliament were sympathetic towards it, and if the Government could make a success .with the .£SOOO which had been proposed, he was sure that it would be well spent. He would not commit himself, however, to the expenditure of even the £5000; though he was certain that the whole of Parliament was in sympathy with the deputation and y that the Forestry Department would db-what was right in regard to it. If any good cduld bp done with tbfc ,£504)0, no doubt it wquld be found. But at present he was to save every copper, as they would find out when tlis time came; and he intended to do it. Be again assured the deputation that it had every sympathy of the Government and Parliament in dealing with the matter. The J 25000 would. probably be a part of the Forestry Estimates next session.