TE AWAMUTU COURIER Printed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays MONDAY 5th SEPTEMBER, 1949 WEALTH FROM WASTE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 79, Issue 7103, 5 September 1949, Page 4

TE AWAMUTU COURIER Printed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays MONDAY 5th SEPTEMBER, 1949 WEALTH FROM WASTE

A MOVEMENT is afoot in Wellington to regain native bush-growth on the hill-slopes, the idea basing on a smallholders’ plan to replace gorse and other rough growth with pinus and native trees. As a suburban settlement plan this aims to increase the residential areas within the limits of regular transportation to the city and at the same time to rid the hillsides of a grave fire menace. But in what is there contemplated can be an example readily capable of being followed on a larger scale in much of the hill-country of New Zealand a notable example being much of the steep-face country running along the western coast-line of the South Auckland districts. Not so many years ago those hill-sides were bush-clad, and now that the tree-growth is removed there is actual and greater risk of erosion taking place. Thus the destructive false settlement policies of an earlier Administration stand revealed. Considerable areas in the Pirongia ranges were thrown open for settlement and taken up by land-hungry people, but abandoned after the area had been laid waste. Much of that land has reverted to rank growth—tfern predominant but with too many clusters of ragwort and other noxious pests. Some is gradually coming into sheep pasture land, but much of it would be better suited for re-afforestation. Ample proof is available that pinus plantations can be quickly and satisfactorily established, and that for a relatively low labour demand a future maximum yield can be gained. The Te Awamutu Borough Council has nearly : i ' the water catchment area mostly tree-p’anted and quickly coming to profit. It offers example of what can and should be done over a much greater area of those hill-side lands. In more recent years—too late, unfortuniately some of the native bush was preserved by the proclamation of State forestry reserves, but around those reserves vast areas of fire risk can be seen, virtually unproductive and in too many cases menai ’ whole country-side as seed-beds for noxious growth. To the limit that better roading can enable the development of sheep country much can and should be done over the easier-rolling hill-slopes, but beyond that the steeper faces lend themselves to and need re afforestation as the only check on erosion and the most practical or economic use. of the land. In all there is a vast acreage for attention, and a widerange development plan is not merely needed but is long overdue; for in this zone is a considerable' reserve of latent opportunity—a vast reservoir of untapped wealth. Badly-based policies of the past laid this countryside waste and it could well be that the Government of to-day should recover the area for more positive settlement so as to make it a contributor to the future economic security of the Dominion.