THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public. Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1928. WEED-CONTROL IN DRAINS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5338, 12 October 1928, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public. Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1928. WEED-CONTROL IN DRAINS.

The discovery whereby the control of weeds in drains cap be effected is an important matter ,to this district. In our columns of. Wednesday we published a report of the investigation made by a, parity from this district who visited the Rangitaiki Swamp. The evidence collected, we are , tiurc, will be of great interest, and value to all those who are interested in drainage works. The knowledge that weeds will nqt grow in dra,ips, which, are shaded is. not new ; but, strangely ejnpugh, it has no,t been brought into general practice. The experiments conducted by Mr Reynolds on the Rangitaiki Swamp, where he has spine miles of drains, should be convincing enpugh for. all. Member's cjf thei delegation which went from Paeroa are fully convinced that- a- tremendous saving ca,n be effected annually, and that in a few years, an actual profit could be made owing to the fact that the trees would ;be of commercial'value. There is also the valuei of the shelter to stock, which cannot be put do,wn in actual c.as,h. In localities rejund Paeroa, where there is; no great, depth of peat, and in many parts none at all, the planting of Eucalyptus galigna could be proceeded with immediately, but as to whether this particular, variety would be suitable for le,ep peat country would, of course;. ha j ve.’,o be ascertained. There seems to be not the slightest doubt that if the practice o-f growing shade for tihe drain's is adopted many thousands of pounds will be saved annually in the clean’r ing of drains, which become choked with weed; growth. We nope to see the matter, taken up and encouraged by the va,riou's drainage boards, and feel convinced that it will be a move in, the right direction.