EVILS OF EROSION

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 260, 1 August 1942, Page 10

EVILS OF EROSION

Importance Of Tree • Planting REFERENCE BY MINISTER

"In recent years New Zealanders bare had some impressive and costly reminders of the evils of erosion which threaten the foundations of the primary industries in many districts, wtid the Minister of Internal Affairs. Mr. Barry, in urging last evening n practical observance of Arbor Day on ■Xugust 5.' In full appreciation of that danger, he skid, the Government bad introduced the Rivers Control stud Erosion Act. which had been passed last year but, unfortunately, the increasing war emergencies had cheeked temporarily the functioning of the Act. . . . That lull, said the Minister, made the conditions still more favourable for destructive erosion, and added to tlie tasks that lay ahead in the dillieult period of post-war reconstruction. Meanwhile many New Zealanders could help considerably in tree-planting, even if it were not doing nearly as much as thev would like to do had times been normal. The maintenance of prosperity for this country absolutely demanded the safeguarding of certain areas of protective forests and the ivplanting of certain denuded areas, . There was evidence, the Minister said, that in some districts the preparations for Arbor Day included the planting of memorial trees, llviii? monuments to men who had given thei lives in the world's greatest fight for freedom. That kind of memorial planting had been much stimulated and encouraged during thb Centennial peiiod. There was scope for a great extension of that movement which could prove to be of permanent benefit to the public as well as an honouring of men and women worthy of that tribute, for memorial planting would not lie restricted to those who had passed away on the fields of war. Trees also could be planted iireommemoration of events as .well as of people; there was no limit to memorial plantings, it. was good enterprise to spread tree-con-sciousness among the public. “I was pleased to read some time ago,” Mr. Parry added, "that an ardent tree-lover had urged the planting of suitable native trees after the war in localities overseas hallowed by the sacrifice of New Zealand’s soldiers, sailors, airmen, and nurses. I feel that in due course the suggestion will receive deserved and proper attention. For example, pohutukawas would flourish on the coast of Greece and on Crete, and, in the summer, their crimson standards would be indeed a vivid reminder of the price paid for the saving of liberty.”