SAND DRIFT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17173, 1 February 1930, Page 15

SAND DRIFT

MENACE IN THE NORTH L.yiDS BEING RUINED Sand drift is one of tho most .serious menaces that lias to lie fought throughout the western portion of tho North. It is more noticeable in the vicinity of Hclensvillc and further south. During the Inst decade some thousands of acres of good productive lands, and excellent pastures, have been completely covered and mined. The position is fully realised by the Government, and the Hon. \Y. B. Taverner, Minister of Railways and Commissioner of State Forests, who lias just completed a comprehensive tour of inspection, has freely admitted that he is much concerned over the everincreasing destruction of property. Throughout his tour, and especially when travelling from llelensville to Auckland, Air. Taverner met deputations, each one of which stressed tho seriousness of the matter. He also walked over acres of sand dunes, and saw for himself what if happening.. At various points the Ministerial party were shown places where the sand had eiicmaelied two chains on land in three years. Fences four feet six inches in height had been covered by the Clvilt, and in places only the tops of trees. 40lt. high, were visible. In. the vicinity of Ifelensville alone some 11.000 acres oi land lias been covered with sand, which goes on encroaching at the rate of two yards a year. The wind-borne sand is now getting into the 'drains, and is in turn being water-borne further afield. The result is that some of the finest agrii'nlfural and pastoral flats in the district, are rapidly becoming affected. A not her aspect of Hie trouble, and one which is approaching alarming, dimensions, is that navigation on the Kaipara River is being affected, and large areas of land are becoming liable to Hooding. Already several landowners, both large and small, have had to abandon considerable holdings.—Star.