"GOD'S OWN COUNTRY"
SOIL AND OTHER RESOURCES
l URGENT PROBLEMS TO TACKLE
Just one hundred years ago> the pioneers from Great Britain arrived in New Zealand to carve out their future homes. They found the country covcred with virgin forest and abounding in bird life, not a single pest of any description, either flora or fauna, to mar the tranquility of the setting. These men and women ' particularly in the early period, toiled from daylight to dark, enduring the greatest hardships—their grit and determination laid the foundation for what is now a famed country with well over a million and a half inhabitants, writes A. H. Fisher in the current issue of "Forest and Bird," We should be proud of our heritage. Throughout the century, however, there has been a lack of planning in the development of our soi'l and other natural resources—men have striven hard for their own immediate gain, stripped the. forest indiscriminately, and introduced all manner of pests and noxious weeds without giving a moment's thought to the future. The result is that to-day New Zealand is faced with innumerable problems which will make rising generations groan under their weight. It is the duty of everyone to assist in finding ways and means to remedy these evils. As the problem is so huge I contend that it can be handled only by a Government department. Experts should be appointed and given full authority to eradicate all pests systematically and allow nothing that might be harmful to enter the country. Just stop for one moment to fthink of. the stupendous blunders in the. past—the introduction of the rabbit stoat, polecat, goat, deer, little owl, opossum and mallard, and many more, to say nothing of gorse, broom, elderberry, ragwort, blackberry and exotic firs which sap the life blood from the soil. Not only must we grapple with these problems; but endeavour to> re-establish our native forests in vital centres to prevent further erosion. The position is urgent and must be tackled immediately.
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Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 12, 5 October 1943, Page 2
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333"GOD'S OWN COUNTRY" Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 12, 5 October 1943, Page 2
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