THE RIDDLE OF THE SAND.

Shannon News, 23 September 1924, Page 3

THE RIDDLE OF THE SAND.

GOVERNMENT EXPERTS MAKE SURVEY ROUND LEVIN. FREE ASSISTANCE FOR PRIVATE PLANT.ERI. { The increase in the area of the coastal sand-hill belt along the West 7 Coast of the North Island, which ■has' been causing serious concern for Some time past through the injury done to grazing lands, is at present receiving the active interest of the State Forestry Department. On Saturday two. officers of the Department, [Messrs S. A. C. Darby (Oifloer-in-North), and Mr )G. vR: Crowley, were in Levin and speaking to a .''Chronicle" representative, explained that their purpose in visiting the .district was to ascertain the extent of the local sand-hill area, and its increase of recent years?- this being part qf o, general, survey 0% the, whole coast line from Paraparaumu ■( 'to Patea. Considerable work had. been done, Mr Darby explained, at the mouth Qf the Rangitikei river, in experiments as to the best methods of fixation, 70,000 trees (haying also been planted out, on sand hills previously fixed with 3 marram-grass. The Department was now in a position to offer authoritative advice, the result of several years' experimental work, to land owners whb might be attempting fixation on their properties, and were prepared to give such IA-. vice free, as also supervision.

Asked as to whether the Government was likely to adopt a national scheme of afforestation of sand-dunes, or other work for the purpose ,of permanent fixation, Mr Darby' stated that he was not prepared to make any statement. The difficulty, was that at present only 20 per cent, of the total area (estimated at 300,000 acres) was Government land. Fifty per cent, was freehold and the remainder leasehold. On the non-Government land, many owners were making attempts to stop the drift of the sand, but often em'Ploying wrong methods, and, working without system,. As the result of the Government experiments considerable help could be given in these cases. The great trouble, however, was overstocking of the country, more particularly with heavy cattle. This resulted in the destruction of the littoraa dune, or ' protective , ridge along the fore-shore, which allowed the wind free p3!ay ton the hillock system further inland, and resulted in a speedy disintegration of the hills. Could the sandhill country be left unstocked,'he. was of opinion that in a great many instances, and to a great extent, it fix- itself through ttfie increase of the natural growth.

ALARMING ENCROACHMENT NEAR LEVIN;

The present survey is expected to be icompleted within a iortnight, when some illuminating figures of the encroachment of sand should be available. In this district alone the extent of shifting sand, which may be seen from Levin is increasing with startling rapidity. Where two years 'ago there was one small spot showing 'where Komobarau Was beginning to break over the ridge "at the Hokio, there is now a whole hill-side covered,' and on every side along the' coastal horizon the ihUls may he seen breaking. Even Moutere, on which the *rig-station, one of the land-marks of the district, is situated, is showing an incipient break which will shortly destroy, one of the most historic hills of tftie Horowhenua. Immediately across the ■ Horowhenua Lake, a patch which 12 months ago; was about a chain square in area, has now spread to more than 10 acres, and the fact which Is causing concern is that each and every one of these breaks is. growing daily. The work of fixation is a big one, but it is an urgent one, and, it would certainly appear a national one.