GROWING POLES.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1418, 20 October 1923, Page 5

GROWING POLES.

FOR POWER BOARD LINES. COMMITTEE TO REPORT. When mention of a scheme for tree planting was made at Friday's meeting of the Te Awamutu Power Board it was stated that at present there is no tree planting committee, the old commitee (set up in 1920) no having been re-appointed following the last election of Board members. It was thereupon decided to re-appoint l the same committee (Messrs Danie'll, Lethbridge, Parlane and Johnson) and to obtain data. Mr Cavanagh commented that the idea of acquiring an area of land for tree planting was farcical in the extreme. The area would soon be infested with rabbits, hares and noxious weeds. To keep it clean the Board would have to engage caretakers. Trees planted there would not be available for use for 30 years —and by that time electrical reticulation would have advanced so much that poles could be dispensed with altogether. Further, he was convinced that people should be encouraged to plant trees themselves, thus ensuring better supervision. He could not understand why concrete poles were considered unsatisfactory, as his experience showed that this class of pole answered all requirements, while the cost per pole was approximately the same. Reverting to timber, Mr Cavanagh said the present poles, with efficient supervision, could be made to last 20 to 30 years, but unless they were looked after properly they would only have an effective life of about five years. Concluding, the speaker said he would strongly oppose any- scheme of tree planting by the Board. Mr Parlane said that the question was an important one and deserved earnest consideration. Many thousands sterling were sent annually to Australia for poles. What he had in mind was a scheme by which the Board could provide say £IOOO to subsidise farmers, who would plant approved areas. Farmers would have all the rest of the timber unsuitable for power poles. After a more or less desultory disr cussion, in which it was suggested that the subject be deferred until the committee's report is presented, Mr Spinley suggested that the prison authorities at Waikeria might be asked to plant ten or twelve acres with approved trees. The area would be assured of supervision, as Waikeria would be occupied for a number of years to come. The discussion was then dropped.