WASTE LANDS.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 18 June 1919, Page 3

WASTE LANDS.

PLANTING OF TREES. Mr W. H. Field. M.P., who is taking an active interest in the sand-dune question, which affects a large area of country in this district, has received the following communications, winch speak for themselves:—

Office of Minister of Lands. Wellington. June lb 1919. De!Kl . s;i r _Furthcr to my letter of the 30th ultimo, in reply to yours of the 29th idem, forwarding a resolution passed by the Foxton and Wanganui Chambers of Commerce regarding the waste lauds along the coast between Paekakariki and Wanganui. I forward herewith for your information copy of a memorandum on the subject that I

have just received from the Hon. Sir Prancis Bell. Commissioner of State Forests, to whom I referred your communication.—Yours faithfully. D. H. GUTHRIE. . Minister of Lands. Office of the Commissioner of State Forests, Wellington, June 11, 1919. Memorandum for the Hon. D. H. Guthrie. Minister of Lands. Lettor from Mr W. H. Field, M.P., re sand-dunes between Paekakariki i. and Wanganui.

With reference to the above, I bare to *tate that I have, in my memorandum to von re Mr Yciteh's letter relative to this subject, asked if Run 24 (whi«h is national endowment land leased to Mr James McKelvie) can be made State Forest in order that it can be planted with forest trees. I may also sav that I am now in communication with the owner of a large block of coastal sand-dunes near Foxton, and if this land can be purchased at a reasonable price it will be used for afforestation. . There is a large proportion or the dunes between Wanganui and Paekakarflti which can be best reclaimed by the planting of marram grass and lupins, and on sueh areas the best plan for reclamation seems to be for the local bodv to pur into operation the Sand Drift Act. 1905. The * Forestry Department cannot at the present time undertake the reclamation %pf sanddunes except in some localities where the tree growing can be made a commercial proposition. Mr Field is to be commended for his enterprise in having overcome the find drift nuisance -m his land at Waikanae. and. doubtless if his methods were adopted by other owners of sand-dunes, they could secure, the same success. F.-H. D. BELL. Commissioner of State Forests.