THE NEW DANGER.

Manawatu Herald, 18 August 1892, Page 2

THE NEW DANGER.

TO THE EDITOB OF THE MANAWATTJ EZBAL9. Sir, — In reading your sub-leader of the 16th I see you take me to task for advising working railways, through, the c&luirins of tH^ dSfanawatu Times, for taking some steps to cover the slopes and cuttings on the Gorge railway line with vegetation. In this matter you agree with me, but you object to the class of vegetation to that which is to take the place of the vegetation that has been removed. You'&ay the bropm- • seed will find its way into the riVer below, and will be carried down by floods below the Gorge and spread over the adjoining lands and become a nuisance. While admitting, Mr Editor, that people should take every precaution not to propogate noxious weeds or shrubs, at the same time I think you take an extreme* view of the matter. It may be news to you to know that English broom undu. ground ivy has been growing at the upper end of the Gorge for over.) 20 years or more, but has never spread any distance from where it was first planted by some of Messrs McNeil and Clarke Dunn's men during the construction of the Gorge Bridge. Apart from the English broom we have the Native broom, >a similar shrub which bears a lavender flower. This is only found on the flati on the river-banks, but never spreads beyond the shingle flats. I think, Mr Editor, you might have published the whole of my letter as set forth jn,, the Manawatu Times. I stated in my letter to the Times the cause pi ... these slips, and the necessity of working railways taking some steps to cover the slopes and cuttings with, vegetation, and leave the same as Nature clothed them. By doing thig,\ the risk to life and property, and the heavy expense year by year, .may be the means of reducing the risk to a minimum. I may further state if the English broom is likely to become a nuisance, African boxthorn and the barley tribe of plants might be planted instead. If this was done, it would be the means of tying the whole of the surface, down, as indicated above, and would reduce the danger of slips considerably. . It is well known that' the formatidn through the Gorge is composed of sedimentary rook, and after being" exposed to the action of the weather soon breaks up, and is brought down by heavy rains, by water getting behind and pushing it off the face of the rock into the river below. Hop ing I am not taking up too much of your valuable spaoe, : : I am, &c, . • . . Geobge Nye, Sunnyside, Foxton, August 17th, 1892.

[On reference to our subleader MrNye must notice -that we fully approved of the suggestion to preserve the slopes, but very strongly objected ;to the plants proposed, for the very reasons urged ior their use. — E». M.H.]