TREES FOR POLES.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17570, 8 March 1929, Page 5

TREES FOR POLES.

T.V. BOARD’S SCHEME. AREA TOO SMALL. RECONSIDERATION NECESSARY Mr W. T. Morrison, Conservator of Forests, wrote to the Thames Valley Power Board explaining why there had been some confusion about the nature of the advice given with regard to the trees that should be planted for power poles. Correspondence had been handled by different officers and the advice given did not always correspond with his own views. He had recommended three or four varieties .as suitable to the Board’s purposes.

The matter came up at the last meeting.

Mr Corbett: The question arises whether we should proceed further with the tree planting. If tree planting is done it should be done extensively so that a qualified staff could be employed. The Board’s area was only about 400 acres. The engineer and chairman knew something about tree-planting, but no one else connected with the Board knew anything. It was a question whether the probable results justified the time given by the engineer to the planting and other costs. He would like members to consider the whole position. Each member should bo supplied with full particulars of what had been done up to the present time. They should consider whether it would not be best to dispose of the land. Mr J. B. Thomas agreed with Mr Corbett and said they could not-, make a success of tree-planting with a small area.

The chairman: The cost per acre has been £l2/10/-.

Mr Flatt: We should have the first report placed before the Board when the whole scheme was outlined. The chairman said it was open to Mr Corbett to move that the whole scheme be reconsidered, but Mr Corbett was not on the Board when it was adopted and did not know the •trouble that had been taken in collecting information. At present 54 acres were ploughed and 30 acres were planted. Mr Corbett said he did not want to cast any reflection on the members of the Board who initiated the scheme and was quite prepared to accept his responsibility as a member. His opinion was that the position as it stood to-day should be considered. He wished to intimate that it was his intention to give notice of motion for next meeting in this direction. Mr Price: All members should in the meantime be provided with copies of reports and should also visit the plantation. The chairman: The inspection could include a large area of the Board’s district.'"'

It was decided that an inspection be made at a date to be fixed later.