AFFORESTATION

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 136, 6 December 1938, Page 12

AFFORESTATION

NORTH CANTERBURY

A FOOT-HILLS PLANTATION

Land totalling 4800 acres in the Ashley-Kowai foothills ;s to be purchased by the Government for the first section of a 10,000-acre afforestation scheme in North Canterbury, states today's Christchurch "Press." The Gbv- . ernment has agreed to purchase 3800 . acres owned by Mr. J. C. Pateman at ' a price of £6600. The early establishment of the base ' camp is.now expected and planting operations will probably commence next June or in the early spring. The block of 3800 acres was under offer to the Government some time ago, but a hitch occurred over the amount of the purchase price. The figure now be paid is that which was first offered. The value of afforestation for pre- • vention of soil erosion could not be too strongly emphasised, said the Hon. F. Langstone in a telephone interview. A vivid illustration was obtainable in the Arthur's Pass district. On one ] side of the Waimakariri was the State ; forest. On the other side, where they had been burning-off, the hillsides were great gulches, and the heavy waterfalls down them carried immense quantities of shingle into the bed of the river. This erosion and consequent raising of the river bed had their effect further down, as Christchurch knew from its threat of flooding. The afforestation of high "country was being considered by the Government, said the Minister, and the State Forestry Department had been asked to make inquiries into the possibility of obtaining trees and. flora suitable for planting at higher altitudes. A KEY BLOCK. In-the scheme for the afforestation of, the foothills in the Ashley and Kowai counties, the land to be ac-q-uired from Mr. J. C. Pateman and Mr. J. Barrett is the. key block. The properties are about six miles from Rarigiofa. "Although between 6000 and 7000 acres adjoining these properties, but further to' the north,, towards 'Mount'"-Grey, are under offer, no further purchases are proposed for some time," s'aid Mr: A. Buckingham, secretary of the North' Canterbury Tree Planting' Advisory Committee, when remarking on the pleasure that would be felt in the district at the Government's acquisition of land. The State Forestry Department would begin the North Canterbury scheme with the block of 4800 acres, he said, and the other properties would be acquired when an expansion of the scheme was considered necessary. The first step would be the clearing of the land and making of roads and planiing, which would take two years, and would, begin next June or in August. The scheme would e::tend northwards if. the Government's afforestation policy was adhered to. "We have an option of 6000 acres further north, and we know that other owners are agi*eeable to come into the scheme," said Mr. Buckingham. "But the Government is not considering any further purchases at the moment."