TREEPLANTING ON GRASSLAND.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 290, 30 May 1929, Page 7

TREEPLANTING ON GRASSLAND.

PROTEST TO MINISTER. Serious Position in Tokoroa Riding. A letter, the brevity of which was ■commented on, from the Putaruru Chamber of Commerce to the effect that treeplanting had been commenced on the “ Club Run,” Lichfield, was read at the May meeting of the Matamata County Council on Wednesday and a discussion took place ■on this very vital question.

The chairman (Cr. Anderson) said they could not do much more than they had done.

Cr. K. S. Cox (Tokoroa riding) stated that when the Minister of Lands (the Hen. G. W. Forbes) was in the district he had stated that he was not in favour of land suitable for farming being utilised for treeplanting. A portion of the “ Club Eun ” was in grass, and if it were intended to plant this area in trees then it was disgraceful. The engineer (Mr. Fitzgerald) ■ stated that he had seen no sign of trees being planted on the run. Cr. Cox stated that about half of his riding was already planted in trees and it was a serious matter as regards the rates. Cr. A. T. Morriss (Putaruru riding) was of the opinion that the holding in question would be suitable for cutting-up purposes. Cr. Cox instanced the Crossing estate and Mr. Leslie’s farm as examples of what the land was capable of being turned into. The Club Eun could be brought into the same fine heart. Cr. Morriss here stated that it would pay the afforestation people to cut up the front portion of the run into small farms, with suitable water provision, better than to cut in down in trees. On the motion of Cr. Cox it was decided to write to the Minister of Lands and Agriculture protesting against treeplanting on grasslands,

I the mover stating that if they did not keep away at it they would have the whole of the Tokoroa riding planted under trees.