NATURE AND MAN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 48, 27 February 1939, Page 6

NATURE AND MAN

NEW ZEALANDERS, SAVE YOUR SOIL THE HOX. F. LANGSTONE’S WARNING

(Edited by Leo Fanning.) Again I wish to remind my fellow New Zealanders that my main mission in life is soil-saving—which means saving the country. Again it is necessary to tell the people that the most important task facing the country is the saving of the surface which yields the real wealth, the basic needs of life —food and the materials for clothing and housing. New Zealanders can differ as much as they like on various political questions and projects, but the instinct of self-preservation must compel them to be united in saving the fertile tnp surface, much of which has been lost by disastrous destruction of native forests in high country. People who read the recent statement of the Hon. F. Langstone, Minister of Lands and Forests, must have been impressed with his startling evidence of the need of systematic continuous action for the control of erosion by conservation of protective forests and by re-planting in certain bare areas. “To attempt to keep rivers in their channels without, protective planting on the barren hills and highlands is like putting the cart before the horse.” he said. Well, it is even worse than that. One can do something by backing a horse with a cart but the case is sadly different where there is no horse and no cart. The ordinary method of fighting floods with stop-banks and other “gadgets” on the low levels may be compared with the old story about maintaining an ambulance at the foot of a precipice instead of putting up a high fence at the top. The matter is put tersely and correctly by an American writer. Brent Altsheler, thus:—“Proponents of such flood prevention devices as sea-walls, spillways, dredges, canals or short cuts, or even torage reservoirs, do not claim that they will reduce ihe vlume of flood water. They merely mitigate the force or reduce stages in exposed locality a.nd tend to distribute the extreme damage over a larger area by increasing the number of sufferers. They do not reach the source of the trouble.” The “source.” of course, lies in the steep bare slopes down which rainwater can rush in ruinous surges. The same writer remarks that “the total cost of protecting all the Kentucky forests from fire from the earliest time such protection was needed is cnly a fraction of the loss inflicted on Kentuckians by a single flood in .7ar vary, 1937.” The annual fireflgh’lng expenditure. about three rents an acre, is much below the need. National Welfare First. New Zealanders, ponder well on thes< words of Mr I/angstone: —“A long-range plan must be evolved, so that each year a certain part of the progiamme shall bo carried out. To do this work effect ely the Public Works Department, in co-operation

witn the Departments of Lands, Forestry and Agriculture, will need comprehensive statutory powers to prevent the destruction of bush which shouln be conserved and to give authority to plant privately-owned as well as Crown lands, wherever planting should be done. The national interest demands such action. The physical contour of our country is such that unless timely and effective action is taken, the results to New Zealand wili be disastrous.” When an individual is allowed to occupy land, under a freehold or leasehold title, it is on an understanding trat be would use the land for Ihe benefit of the community as well as himself. A freehold title should not permit a person to misuse land, especially in a manner which will inflic: damage on owners or lessees of nthp- estates. Yet plenty of that kind of mischief has been done in New Zealand a.nd other countries. The case for necessary action for national welfare, as stated by Mr. Langstone, should command the support of every New Zealander who wishes to save the country’s soil. Stupid Scrub-Burners. How much beautiful native bush has been destroyed or spoilt by the I stupidity of scrub-burners on adjoinl ing areas? The recent loss of noble stands of tree-ferns and beeches in a hay of Queen Charlotte Sound as the result of uncontrolled burning of bracken by farmers, is a reminder I hat drastic restriction must be put upon that kind of fire-raising. No person should be allowed to burn scrub, bracken, or felled bush without a permit. When such a permit is granted, ample notice of the intention to burn should be broadcast over the air. and otherwise, so that proper precaution may be taken against a spread of fire beyond the area indicated jn the permit. Save Some Places of Peace. In many countries—where the noises of civilisation continue to increase—there is a growing demand for the saving of certain wilderness areas from the honking, hooting, and squawking of motor-car'- and the roaring, howling and bleating of misused radio sets. Therefore, I was very Dieased to see* this plea of James Cowan in the Neu' Zealand Railways Magazine: “Waikare-iti (a lake on a wooded isle of lake Waikarcmoana) is a natural sanctuary. I hope it will never be robbed of that j hallowed air of peace and seclusion. I Oars and sails and the canoe paddle are the fitting motive power there for 'exploration and pleasure-cruising. • There are some places in our land .(hat should be guarded with loving care against the disturbing touch of [modern inventions, and the queen of [these sanctuaries is Little Waikare.”