FLOOD RELIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23514, 31 May 1938, Page 12

FLOOD RELIEF

ESK VALLEY AREA WORK OF REHABILITATION CABINET GRANT FOR FENCING (Per United Press Association) HASTINGS, May 30. Authority has been granted by Cabinet for expenditure on fencing materials for the erection of fences in the devastated Er.k Valley area. This statement .was made by the chairman of the Relief Committee (Mr J. W. Palmer) this evening. Mr Palmer said that supplies of fencing material would be made available through the funds of the Stores’ Account Board. Farmers would have to make application to the Department of Agriculture for supplies of materials, and the basis of distribution would be the same as that used for grass seed. Nothing had yet actually been done in the way of erecting fences, Mr Palmer said. Outlining the plan of campaign that would be followed in the erection of new fences in the valley, he said that the first object of the department would be to separate the hill country from the flats and places where grass seed had been sown. When this had been completed, it would be necessary, as soon as possible, to erect boundary fences on the re-surveyed properties. To what extent it would_ be possible to assist with the subdiviion of each property it would be impossible to estimate. At the present stage it did not seem possible that the Government would be able to assist with intensive subdivision. A limit of five to 10 acres in a subdivision would probably be undertaken in accordance with the size of the property. If, for instance, a man had a holding of 80 acres, it would not be possible to provide sufficient material to make 20 subdivisions. It would be impossible yet, however, to say just what the department would be able to provide. Mr Palmer said that the early grass sown was coming away well, but the fields being sown now would have to be assisted by some form of cultivation, probably harrowing. So far wandering stock had not caused much trouble to the pastures but, unless the fences were erected before the stock was brought back, damage would undoubtedly result.