WAIMAKARIRI SCHEME MAY BE ENLARGED SOON.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 164, 13 July 1931, Page 7

WAIMAKARIRI SCHEME MAY BE ENLARGED SOON.

“The Waimakariri River Trust is prepared to plant another 1,000,000 trees if the State Forest Service will give the trees,” stated Mr E. 11. Andrews, when methods of finding work for men were being discussed by the Citizens’ Unemployment Committee to-day. It was stated that the new work would give about two months’ employment for two hundred men.

Mr A. Manhire, on behalf of the Waimakariri River Trust, stated that that body’s immediate desire was to give relief to the unemployed. There were 1400 acres that could be planted. It would cost about £ISOO to establish a second camp for this project, which the trust could not entertain unless it received the trees fit no cost. Planting could be done only until the end of September, and would give two months’ work to about 200 men. Another Camp Proposed.

The discussion arose through the chairman of the committee (Mr E. 11. Andrews) reporting that he had been impressed by the comfort and good food for the men in the trust’s camp, which he had inspected. He understood that the State Forest Service had 2,000,000 trees nearby, all of which, through departmental retrenchment, would not be used this year. If those trees were given to the trust that body would establish another camp. Mr W. E. Leadley, a member of the Unemployment Board, said that the Waimakariri scheme was the only one of its kind in the Dominion where men were given, a full week’s work, and if the scheme were successful it might be extended to other local bodies. The board had decided to write to the State Forest Service asking if a million trees would be available, but the speaker understood that the Service would need that stock. Dominion-Wide Scheme. A Dominion-wide scheme for afforestation, as discussed by the Afforestation sub-committee of the Progress League’s Unemployment Committee, was reported upon by Mr P. R. Climie, who said that there were riverbed areas in Canterbury which could be planted. Mr Leadley; Who is going to finance this? Mr Climie: That is not a serious matter. Inquiries are being made of nurserymen with a view to obtaining the trees, v r hich the Forestry Service could refund.