Correspondence.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3623, 13 March 1906, Page 2

Correspondence.

BEAUTIFYING OUR BEACH?

PROVIDING FOR TEE FUTURE.

(TO EDITOR OF MAN'AWATU HERALD.)

Sir, —In ray letter to you re the Tram Bine to the beach, when I advocated motor carriages as the most convenient traction power, I mentioned that part of the line would be across the shifting sand dunes, and T said that would present no great difficulty, as although the subjugation of the shifting sands, has been an ever increasing problem happily the study of the different growths of the 1 vegetable kingdom has placed the question beyond a doubt. For many years the shifting sands on the line of the railway to Carnarvon, was a source of great annoyance. Jbut the planting of a belt of trees to windward of the line, soon changed the bare sandhills into a ‘orest and no more trouble has since been experienced. The Foxton Chamber of Commerce has suggested the necessity of planting the sandhills near the terminus of the proposed tram line at the Beach, that of course is urgently necessary, not only as adding to the comfort of those frequenting the Sanitorium, but also to assist in making the tram line popular, by providing a pleasant shelter to picnickers, when they arrive at the the Beach by the tram, but I would go further and suggest to the Government the ad visibility of planting the whole of the foreshore of the West Coast of this Island, extending from Paikakirikei northwards, as a great commercial undertaking, and one that would undoubtedly handsomely repay, any outlay that may be spent upon it, and not only that, but it would as completely change the face of the country by closer settlement during the next 20 years, as the Manawatu. Railway has so successfully done in the last in part of the same district. On that coast v there are about one hundred and" fifth miles of sand-dunes in area, of from half a mile to five miles wide, far too large a contract for any private company, for the one reason especially that there could be no dividend for a number of years, but for a Government no* matter under what administration,

that need not count, as th country could afford to wait knowing that while we are sleep ihg, the trees are growing. Nov as to the mode of planting, u France large tracts of worthies: have been made handsomely reproductive by sowing broadcast the seed of the Yelkm Ltipin, mixed with the seeds o: suitable forest trees, the Lupins soon springing up, serve as a pro* tection to the young saplins, and they also prevent the sand from shifting thereby, allowing the young trees, to take good root, in a moist ground but as soon as the forest trees begin to assert them* selves the lupins die off, aad then would come the time of transplanting the young saplings, from a thick clump to a bare patch and so on ; but although the Government have now a very large staff of Arboriculturists in their employ, this large project could only be undertaken, at the rate of a few miles yearly, so I would urge upon the County and Borough Council to unite as one body, and press upon thq the urgent necessity of commencing this great work a* - once as the longer it is delayed, the longer it Will be before there is any return, and the return from this scheme alone would not only in time reduce the indebtedness of the Colony, but so produce to the prosperity of the country that no man need say he is poor. Of course it is well-known that such an undertaking ‘could not be carried through for a number of years, but if a few miles were sown every year, at the end of ten years some substantial progress will have been made, and the lupins would soon supply sufficient seed to carry on the work of sowing. I could enlarge upon the coast railways and roads that would be needed for the conveyance of the grown timber to the numerous sawmills that would be in due time erected, with their necessary villages, all along the coast line, but that can be left to some after historian, how long first depends upon the Government. Let them hasten, for there is no doubt but that we shall have to provide for many more poor people than we have now on our shores. Thanking you for allowing me so much trespass on your valuable s, :e. I am, “Aquarius.”