TREE PLANTATION.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5459, 9 August 1929, Page 4

TREE PLANTATION.

POWER BOARD CRITICISM. DECISION TO CONTINUE.' The question whether the board should plant trees for future power pole requirements was debated at the meeting of the Thames Valley Power B.pard on Tuesday, when Mr H. M. Corbett, in accordance with notice, moved : “That the Finance Committee be empowered to dispose of the board’s Waitakaruru plantation.” Thirty acres have now been planted, at a total cost of £l2 an acre, it was stated. The scheme was based on an estimated expenditure of £19,000 over a period of 30 years, at the end of which period the board would possess an inexhaustible supply of trees for its pole requirements. Speaking in support of his motion, Mr Corbett said that although the board had been well meaning in initiating the project time had proved that it had been based on inexpert advice. In any case, it was not within the province of power boards to grow trees. “The time is at hand,” he sail, “for us to decide once and for all whether we shall proceed with this business.”

Supporting the resolution, Mr Price maintained that the land was quite useless for tree planting purposes. He recalled the failure of an attempt to grow eucalyptus on the Kaingaroa Plains. The Waitakaruru scheme had lacked method and system. Hard eucalyptus could not be grown on the poor Waitakaruru country. Mr J. Allen said he had been agreeably surprised to find the trees growing so well at Waitakaruru, and felt that in a few years the plantation would develop into a very real asset. He would be sorry to see the board dispose of the plantation at present.

Messrs Pohlen and Thomas agreed that the scheme should not be condemned on such a comparatively short trial.

Mr McCormick insisted that the country was altogether unsnited for tree 'growing. It was silly to talk about growing hardwood trees in New Zealand on unsheltered areas. “We are told,” he said, “that in 30 years’ time we’ll have 3000 hardwood poles per annum' ever after. I don’t think •you’ll get 3000 clothes-props off that country.” The chairman’s cost of the scheme to date was vigorously criticised by Mr Arthur, who twitted Mr Strange .with possessing a merely casual knowledge of the economics of the project. Compared with the actual cost to date, the estimated expenditure figures had been very much at sea. It was cost £lOOO to ulant 20 acres of trees, and all other estimated costs had been heavily exceeded. Mr Strange : I don’t know where Mr Arthur gets his figures from. Mr Arthur : They’re your own figures ; tell me where I’m wrong. After Mr Torr had defended the project Mr Strange said : “There is nothing to prove that the plantation shall not be a success, and I see no reason why it should be abandoned. It would. simply be throwing money away.” After a series of resolutions and amendments, one of which was designed by Mr Flatt, to compose the conflicting views, it was eventually resolved to plant 10 acres of trees annually for the next two years, the position to be reviewed at the end of that period.