SANDY POINT DOMAIN

Southland Times, Issue 19279, 25 June 1924, Page 5

SANDY POINT DOMAIN

AFFORESTATION SCHEME THE COUNCIL’S PROPOSALS GOVERNMENT SYMPATHETIC. Brief consideration was given at last night’s meeting of the Town Council to a letter received from Hon. Sir Francis Bell, Commissioner of State Forests, regarding matters brought under his notice by a deputation from the Council which recently waited upon him in Wellington, in regard to afforestation matters, which the Council proposes to give effect to at some future date on the Sandy Point Domain. “The Council’s proposals have the entire sympathy of the Forestry Department and of the Government,” said Sir Francis Bell in his letter, “though I cannot encourage the hope that a Government subsidy will be provided towards the cost. The Department will be happy, however, to give every assistance in its power, both as regards advice and co-operation. The Government will also be prepared to consider favour ably the undertaking of operations on the land belonging to the Crown beyond the Town Reserve which is also subject to sand drift and to a certain extent endangering the navigation of vessels higher up the river. If the Town undertakes with practical effect, the afforestation of the Reserve, the subject of the Government land beyond the Reserve will be considered with a view to co-operation with the Town, not only in regard to the planting of the Reserve but also in the provision of afforestation cn the Government lands beyond. You will appreciate the fact that the Government has no desire to interfere in any decision arrived at by the ratepayers concerning this matter, but I cannot refrain from saying that the Town will set a beneficial example to the Dominion as a whole if the scheme which the deputation placed before me is carried to completion.” Councillor Farrant (chairman of the Reserves Committee), moved that the letter be received, and that the Minister be thanked for his courteous reply. “I think it would also be as well,” continued Councillor Ur,rant, “that we should express our regret that no opportunity was given for a representative of the Council to accompany the Director of State Forests (Captain Ellis) on his recent visit to the Sandy Point Domain. No official notice of his visit was given at all, and the only intimation that I pretsonally received of it was a telephone message which I received at 7.15 p.m. on Wednesday, asking if I could join the party to visit the Domain at 8.45 the following morning, Thursday. It was impossible for me to do so at such short notice, and others interested in the project who were also approached were in the same position. From the interview with Captain Ellis published in the Times, of his visit to the Domain, it would appear that Captain Ellis did not visit the Crown lands adjoining the Domain, while from some of his other remarks it is apparent that he was misinformed in regard to some matters, particularly regarding the practicability of one caretaker looking after the large area of land there, in the planting of trees, sand fixation work, and the extermination of the rabbits. It requires no stretch of the imagination to make it apparent that one man cannot carry out the work, and I can only express regret that someone better informed was not able to accompany the Director.” The Mayor: “I have a certain amount of doubt as to whether Captain Ellis really saw the Domain, because I Understand the car was stuck in the sand for a good while.”

The Council decided to communicate with the Minister on the lines suggested by Councillor Farrant.