Stripping the Hills

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 53, 2 March 1945, Page 4

Stripping the Hills

One of the points raised by Tauranga delegates at Wednesday's conference on River Control was the necessity for conserving bush upon the higher mountain ridges. Mr Newnham for the Rivers Control Council, declared that the powers of the Catchment Board were wide enough to prevent any action of this nature taking place. "What about when the Crown happens to be one of the offenders?" The speaker declared that on certain Crown lands in the Kaiinai Ranges bush was. being stripped from the ridges with what w T as apparently full Government authority. An Unusual Opinion Speaking of one man's observations on the question of river Mr J. L. at last Wednesday's conference said he had approached this farmer who having lost a considerable acreage due to erosion should have been qualified to speak from first hand experience. His ob-. servations were however surprising. While admitting that he had seen a considerable amount of his land go down the river i} he pointed out that he had gained it in other directions and therefore, thought that in the long run he would come out better off if he were left alone than forced to pay a special catchment rate.