SOIL SURVEY.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1923, Page 1

SOIL SURVEY.

LAND VALUATION BASIS. WELLINGTON, July 23. Valuing lands cm the basis of a scientific soil survey is the interesting suggestion made to New Zealanders by Professor Shaw, professor of soil technology at the University of Calilornia. He is returning to the United States, having visited Australia, where he observed that there were eases of revaluation that had cost- the State, thousands of pounds. This was due to the fact that land was sold to a settler as interne land and the settler, pnl tlx through poor methods, failed To grow lucerne. He saw a dozen tracts in the same nighhourlmod that grew very good lucerne, but settlers took the State to Court, and the Judge—wlio, he said, was a. just Judge, hut not a soil expert—gave heavy damages in Ihe form of revaluations or remissions. That was in New South Wales quite recently. That could surely have been obviated by not selling the land with a crop label oil it. •■I believe that a systematic soil survey of the lands of New Zealand would he an exceedingly good investment both lor the Government and ihe people,” said Professor Shaw. “It- is n big. slow job, but it has been carried out 7.1 the United States. Japan. Denmark and Germany, and. before the war. Russia. You can work out from their experience a system that would h,' applicable to local conditions, starting with a recomiaisauce type ol sod survey with a carefully detailed survey when von resume any new blocks of land. Ido not suggest a chemical analysis. It is relatively valueless, and requires an exceedingly detailed study; bill it is the physical features of the soil, particularly ihe subsoil, with which your survey would he concerned. Here is an example of its efficacy: Alter being there two years, two settlers from Durham came up to town to settle an argument between them. One of them found a distinct- line through his crop, on one side a good head of wheat and on the other a much poorer development ol the head. Tlis version was that there were tuo distinct types of soil iliere and on consultin'; tlie map. without the help °f any departmental advice, he was able lo convince his neighbour thill his deduction was quite logical and correct.’ As for New Zealand conditions in regal'd to utilisation of land. Professor Slmw remarked: “.Many of our problems arc quite ditV,'rent from yours. I,i,i there is a lot to learn from you. Some of our coast lands could he profitably ir-ed in the same manner as you aro lining, as I saw in my tour of the North Island. We could get the brush oil those lands if »e adopted your methods, concent rating cattle in faiil\ narrow limits in the range country, hut it is your handling of land settlements that attracts me most. 1 have been, reading with keen interest, the Parliamentary proceedings in regard to soldier settlement, land settlement, advances to settlers ami 10-ans to faimcis. You are decidedly ahead of us in a great many ol those activities.