HAURAKI NOTES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 714, 13 July 1929, Page 11

HAURAKI NOTES

Farmers of Waitakaruru and Pipiroa had a great deal to say at a meeting of the District Ratepayers’ Association this week concerning the Thames Valley Electric-Power oßard’s tree-planting scheme near "Waitakaruru, which some members of the board advocate should be abandoned. The scheme, which was inaugurated some years ago, provides for the planting of ten acres of trees annually to ensure adequate supplies of poles for electric power transmission. The reasons advanced for the abandonment of the scheme were the cost and the doubtful success. Farmer members of the Ratepayers’ Association who had inspected the plantation asserted that the. young trees were doing exceptionally well, and that the percentage of failures was very small indeed, though, owing to the slowness of the growth of hardwood trees, and the profusion of weeds, the progress might not seem satisfactory to those members of the Power Board who were not farmers. The statement that 45 per cent, of the trees planted had been failures was characterised as a quibble, for it was well known that practically tho whole of the first season’s planting had been killed or washed away by an exceptionally heavy storm which came just after the hillsides had been ploughed and planted. The costliness of the work had been due to the lack of proper organisation and supervision. To abandon the scheme would bo unwise, for the land was unsuitable for anything but afforestation, and the only part which could be readily disposed of for farming was that area already planted.. Hopes were expressed that the local member of the Power Board, Mr. H. Torr, would be able to convince the Board not to sacrifice what would develop into a very valuable asset in years to come. A vote of £SO toward the earthquake relief fund was made by the Hauraki Plains County Council at its meeting yesterday, and it was decided to open a public subscription list at the county office. The Lands Drainage Department advised that the metalling of the Kai-here-Xgatea Road was practically completed for its entire length, but 360 cubic yards of the metal would be spread next summer after consolidation had taken place. The first section of the Patetonga-Morrinsville Road had been completed, but the council would be required to maintain the first course of metal during the coming winter. A contribution of £1,600 would be required from the council on October 1 for the second section. The Public Works Department advised that subsidy on the 86 chains of Kaikahu Road would not be paid as the proposals approved had been for 123 chains. The chairman explained that the settlers of Kerepeeh! township were contemplating a roading loan which would include the 37 chains of Kaikahu Road, and it was therefore excluded from the larger roading loan. The township proposal had i\ot eventuated. so it was not possible to extend the ridinsr loan to do the whole of the road. The chairman and the clerk were demited to explain the matter to the Public Works engineer. The engineer, Mr. F. Basham, reported that all sections of the main highway had been graded and patched where necessary, and some sections had been refaced.