LIME FOR THE MANAWATU DISTRICT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 283, 24 August 1920, Page 6

LIME FOR THE MANAWATU DISTRICT

Prom Our Special Correspondent. Palmerston North, August 20. "About twelve months ago, the Hon. D. Guthrie, Minister of Lands, went to considerable trouble to get an area of five acres, containing limestone, in the Manawatu Gorge, set apart for a reserve from which the farmers of the Manawatu could draw the necessary supplies of limestone for fertilisers for their land. Although it is admitted that the productiveness of the land would bo consjder■My enhanced by the use of more linie, the matter of working the deposit has been hung up, from time to time, and nothing has been done. The Palmerstori North branch of the Farmers' Union, which had the matter in hand, called a conference of farmers, and it was arranged that delegates should visit the Napier limeworks with an idea of finding out what plant would be required for working tho local deposit, and at the same time handed the matter of tho development of the project over to the Manawatu Sub-Provincial Executive. At a meeting of that body on Saturday last the delegates' reported that the works at Nanier were dealing with a marine deposit, which required very expensive machinery to work, as the deposit being of a very moist nature required drying before it could be put through the crusher, Mr.'S. .Tickell, M.1.C.E., who has hivl considerable experience in dealing with rock limestone, such as exists in the Manawatu Gorge, was present; by invitation, nnd gave a good deal of interesting information both ns to the use of lime, and as to the best manner of dealin>> with the local deposit He estimated, without having gone into figures, that the necessary plant for turning out both carbonncious and calcined lime could bo put down for about XWflO, nnd it was decided that he be asked to prepare a detailed report as to tho plant required, together with power for driving 6ame. It is proposed to form a. farmers' company on debentures to initiate and carry on the works.