OHOPE SLIP

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 30, 27 September 1946, Page 5

OHOPE SLIP

P.W.D. ENGINEER’S REPORT PLANTING OF AREA The movement in the hillside at Ohope was a matter mentioned in the Engineer’s (Mr C. H. Brebner) report to the Whakatane County Council at its last meeting, and in conjunction with a letter regarding safety measures from the Minister of Works, was discussed by the Council which decided to advise the Minister that deeprooting, low-growing ’trees would tend to ‘mat’ the area and remove the slip menace. The letter stated that the question of planting trees on the area which was slipping had been referred to the Resident Engineer at Tauranga, who had expressed the opinion that if this were done, there would be a danger that if a strong wind were experienced after a heavy rainfall the tendency of the slip to move might be accentuated. Mr Cobbe, the owner of the land affected, it was intimated proposed sowing lupin over the entire area concerned, and this was probably preferable to planting trees. The geologist’s report had not yet come to hand, but., it was understood that this was fairly satisfactory so far as a large slip occurring was concerned.

- The Chairman (Mr J. L. Burnett) said that Ohope residents had more confidence in Mr\Brebner’s suggestion that small trees would be better to plant than lupins. They felt that the hill movement was definitely dangerous, and that the report had not been exaggerated. Mr Brebner agreed that tall trees should not be planted but small deep-rooted ones.