SAVE THE TREES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18896, 11 January 1927, Page 13

SAVE THE TREES.

* AUSTRALIA'S ACUTE PROBLEM.

The condition of Australia's national forestry is precarious. In /act, the position is becoming worse each year. In 1922 Australia found it necessary to impprt 173,000,000 feot of timber, and in 1924 over 300,000,000 feet. Last year over 12J million pounds were spent on wood and wood products, the timber of which was previously grown in Australia. These figures indicate indifference, especially in view of the fact that Australia, which had an abundant growth of timbers till the last decade, is comparatively young so far as settlement is concerned. Our timber has been cut ruthlessly, with no consideration for the future. Victoria furnishes a regrettable example. Sixty years ago it was a recognised fact that Victoria possessed the finest hardwood forests in the world. To-day that position has reversed itself. It is estimated that three times as much timber has been wasted as used. Victoria now finds itself with over four million acres of excellent timber country, producing nothing at all. If the present consumption tho supply of soft woods will be exhausted. According to forestry experts, the .solution of the problem lies in the planting of quick-growing exotic* trees which could be raised in 35 years. New Zealand has already made a commencement. There the timber problem :s almost as acute as in Australia. In 1924 over 67,984,000 feet of timber were exported, and last year over

100,000,000 feefc. A Department •! Stato Forests was established in a»3U. and the whole of the nnahenajw Crown land* were placed un4er Ma •patrol. Artificial forests hare, inefeateo! from 15,000 to 78,000 acres, and mof» than 1(50,000,000 seedlings hat* be*n raised. Tlie Department has made provision for supplying to every ftrmfr or settler who has waste land »n expert from the Forest Nursery to supervise the laying-out and planting. Uw State is supplying tbo seedlings »t •*• tual cost of production. • . t Timber has supplied Australia wiw ono of it 3 protest assets—coal. ■ y gives us many beautiful colours 1 * naphtha, tar, ben win, and aniline dyes. It produces turpentine, wooflpulp, papor, artificial silk, and many other commodities. Its economic) vtty* can hardly be estimated, in that H . forms an integral part of almost 9f*rf commercial operation. Timber nas •» many industries depending open ft that its preservation should tuakt V> especial appeal to those wbene ambitions nro to encourage and fofttr tfc* j manufacture of Australian Sydney "Daily Telegraph." ',

Out of a number of motor fatalitiei officially investigated in' Britain," tbfl most frequent causes were children ruining into the road without looking, »$ cyclists riding carelessly! next cam* * ' adults crossing tlieioad either haed,. . lessly-or, confusedly, and then adnltf stepping off the kerbstone without lobii ing. - A bottle has been picked up on >b% north-west coast of Germany containing the last message of John Lee, a Halifax (Nova Sco(ia) captain, who sailed'from | home 40 years ago.