DESTRUCTION OF BUSH.

Southland Times, Issue 21101, 5 June 1930, Page 3

DESTRUCTION OF BUSH.

To the Editor. Sir, —-.Owing to the inclement weather prevailing, the publication of this - letter may seem inopportune at this time but the necessity for its publication is unfortunately urgent. I recently travelled to a northern centre on business and during the trip, almost from Gore northward the discussion of the residents and the appearance of the country related to one subject, namely, the prolonged dry weather and the losses and inconvenience suffered therefrom. On one farm I visited the owner to finish his lambs had to resort to his winter provision of turnips before they were halfgrown owing to the parched and scant state of his pasture. Other farmers had ' ' '

the same tale of immensely decreased returns and continual worry as to future feed supply owing to want of rain. They expressed disgust at expending large sums on top-dressing and grassing > paddocks and finding their efforts lost. Now, Sir, my concern is in our own province and the object of this letter is not to emphasize the drought in Otago and Canterbury but to humbly place before the farmers of this, province and the dairy farmers especially the necessity of retaining our very profitable climate by securing sufficient areas of bush at present being destroyed solely to provide a return of income for a very small section of people. Recently there appeared in a Taranaki paper an announcement that the dairying community were alarmed at the ‘destruction of the bush on Mount Egmont by the invasion of goats. They very properly stated that if the bush were wasted their great asset, their rainfall, would go. (lf What provision is being made for protecting the rich dairying districts in Southland from drought conditions? It would almost appear that except for a very small area of bush being preserved for scenic purposes every other acre in existence would be destroyed at an early date. Behind the richest dairying area in Southland and possibly in the South Island, namely the Mataura Island and Edendale plains there still remains an area that is being quickly demolished by’ two mills, one at Gorge Road and one at the next siding. Are the settlers in these areas going to let that bush go and lose for all time this splendid trip of rain attraction? Why, Sir, it would be great business on the part of these people if through a board appointed by the .whole area affected they purchased every acre and compensated the millers concerned in the destruction of this bush. Any farmer will say that he would be pleased to know what return he would secure for his produce next season but any of them would rather know that they were going to have sufficient rainfall to carry the stock they own and also the increased stock they will possess by recent improved methods such as grass manuring and more intense farming. One need only stand in the centre of the areas abov.e mentioned in certain periods of the year when rain would be very welcome and watch showers pass the bush areas but come no further. When the bush goes these showers will not even come that far. When I settled in the Mataura Valley thirty years ago we had floods every few months, in fact every few weeks at times. How often do they come now? May I venture to say that they will be seldom experienced if the rain attracting areas go. One may ask, if the bush is held from the miliars, where are our supplies of timber to come from. In Cahada and all the north of South America there are inexhaustible areas of forests covering country which is not dependent on its bush covering for rain owing to its geographical situation and also a considerable area of this, like our own bush area, is worthless for agriculture purposes. The ocean freight on this timber is. also less than the rail charges in several parts of our own country. In fact North Island millers are complaining that imported timber can be landed at Auckland cheaper than they can deliver it there by rail, also, when the supply of timber in some of our small areas of bush in Southland can only last two or three years at the most and those areas small though they be, still prove good rain catchers would it not be good business on the part of, the farmers to stay the hand of destruction of this great asset.- —I am, etc., DAIRY FARMER.