WORK AFTER THE WAR

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1940, Page 6

WORK AFTER THE WAR

DEMOBILISED SOLDIERS SUGGESTION AT KAPONGA AFFORESTATION SCHEME Provision for the employment of returned soldiers from the present war was discussed by the Kaponga branch of the Farmers' Union when it was pointed out that in the year following the outbreak of the last war the Discharged Soldiei-s' Settlement Act was passed. It was felt that action should now be taken to deal with the problem of employment certain to arise after the present war. One suggestion was that extra calves should be kept and that these should be purchased by the Governj ment after weaning to ensure the provision of dairy stock at reasonable prices. That was not considered necessary but a scheme of national afforestation was given favourable consideration and the following remit was passed for submis-' sion to the provincial executive:— "That with a view to giving employment to returned soldiers after the war and to provide supplies of timber for farrfiers. the Government be asked to establish nurseries of young trees for planting waste lands and for use in destroying fern, second growth, gorse and other weeds, especially in districts where State forests are not established." Demobilisation Problems. The subject was introduced in a short address by Mr. E. L. Mulcock, who stressed the* need for' planning now tp meet t e problems which would arise when demobilisation took place. Official statistics showed that in the Dominion an area of over 4,000.000 acres was classed as being in fern, scrub, etc., and another 2.000,000 acres was barren and unproductive. Most of the former and much of the latter could be turned into a national asset by proper treeplanting under the expert supervision of the Forestry Department which had acquired experience as the result of the work already done. Only 800,000 acres had been put into forest and about half of that area was State forest plantations. He pointed out that pine plantations in South Taranaki had already been almost cut. out for making cheesecrates and that the large demand for cheap timber for pigsties and for boxing in concrete work could be met by the provision of ample supplies of quick growing trees. The urgent need of trees for posts and firewood, and also -to prevent erosion and landslips was well recognised, and farmers who had already planted trees for shelter were keen advocates of more treeplanting. More important than any of these was the desirability of dealing with large areas overrun by gorse, blackberry and ragwort. These were a liability to surrounding farms' and the problem should be tackled on a national scale. It was suggested that school children and others could collect cones to provide seed and in two or three years' time thousands of young pinus insignis could be made available. Employment would be provided for many ipen not only in planting trees but in keeping them clear of second growth until they were properly established. The scheme was commended as being worth while and instructive. It was mentioned that trees such as the larch might be planted with a view to providing poles for scaffolding.