OUR FORESTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1803, 16 July 1913, Page 5

OUR FORESTS.

THE COMMISSION'S REPORT. IMPORTANT PROPOSALS. AN ADVISORY BOARD MOOTED. CLIMATIC RESERVES. .' The report of the Royal Commission on Forestry, presented to Parliament yesterday, is a bulky volume, consisting, with its attendant minutes of evidence, of over ICO foolscap pages, besides a number of photographs and diagrams. The commission consisted of: Messrs. H. D. M. Hazard (chairman), T. W. .Adams, S. J. Clarke, F. Y. Lethbridge, C. P. Murdoch, and Dr. L. Cockayne. / In the opening pages of their report, the commissioners indicate the scope of their inquiry, and the nature of their researches. They then go on to deal under various heads ivith the questions submitted to them' for inquiry. Some of the more important sections of the report are summarised beloiv. The report defines a climatic reserve as ono for the purpose of protection of soil, prevention of denudation water-con-servation, prevention of floods, and shelter from winds. After quoting a number of authorities as to the value of such reserves, the report goes on to state that in order to be efficacious the climatic reserves of Now 1 Zealand'inust occupy a wide area. The extensive original forest has now been enormously reduced, and, indeed, rightly, • in order to meet the needs of settlement. Nevertheless, it is added, there, has been much unnecessary destruction, ' which has ' extended to the steep slopes of hill and mountain, and even to the upper' altitudinal limits of the forest. "The tiine has come, in our opinion, when these mountain lorests, which in neurly every instanco occupy comparatively worthless ground, and contain little, if ally, milling timber, should be zealously protected." Various Commissioners of Crown Lands are strongly and wisely in favour of materially extending the climatic reserves of their districts. The report recommends that a number of forest ureas bo declared climatic reserves, amongst others, the sources of the principal rivers in Canterbury, which rise in the Southern Alps. Special attention is called to the Waimakariri National Park, which is at present a forest reserve, and the upper portion of the whole of the North Island dividing range. On account of the damage done to forest undergrowth by deer, it is recommended that measures be taken to restrict these animals to limited areas, sufficient for sport, which may be proclaimed deer-parks. It is also necessary, the report continues, to protect the forest undergrowth from the ravages of cattle, tame and wild, and goats. ' Scenic Reserves. The report deals at length with scenic reserves, <yid. recommends that'the following new scenic reserves be constituted: The Poor Knights Islands (the home of many birds now almost extinct on ( the mainland); Lake -Waikarcmoana; certain lakes in the Rotorua Thermal District (in which locality the commission recommends that 11,000 acres bordering certain lakes bo acquired from tho Natives); all steep banks of the Wangaijui River not already reserved, and unsuitable for settlement; all the steep lands bordering on the Slokau River. It is recommended that Crown land in the Aria Survey District be exchanged for land acquired along' the. banks of the Mokau River. At present, the report states. Scenic reserves are not as well cared for as they ought to be. It is recommended that they be fenced, that shelter belts be provided, and that no stock be allowed to graze in the reserves. The provisions of the Scenery Preservation Act, it is added, are stringent enough • but are for the most part disregarded. It is recommended that notices be i posted'in tho reserves themselves and in public places in the neighbourhood. Commercial Forests. * Regarding forest areas suitable for settlement, sawmilling, and other commercial purposes, 1 the report states that the question of dealing with these areas is in the main one of supply and demand, and that each case''must be judged on its merits as it arises, the view of the, proposed Advisory Forestry Board being in all cases obtained and given effect to where possible. Up to tho present, the report continues, there has been no economic classification of the New Zealand forest, and it is recommended that such a classification should be made. The principle of paying halves of timber royalties to local bodies as an aid to road-making is commended in the case of districts where sawmillers use the roads. It is stated, however, that in some districts, not twenty per cent, of the timber goes over the roads at all. It is suggested that revenue derived from lilie timber industry might be applied to the purpose of providing funds to cover the cost of the extonsive planting operations which are recommended. Beech; timber, it is stated, is little used at present, but will doubtless be mora prized as the general timber supply decreases. It is laid down as a broad principle that no forest land, except it be required for the special purposes of a climatic or a scenic reserve, and which is suitable for farm land, should be permitted to remain under forest if it can be occupied and resided upon in reasonably limited areas: Tho question as to whether it will 'be more profitable to ' n ]P such areas' before settlement, or ,to fell, burn, and grass, is purely one of finance. White Pino Supplies. The subject of white pine supplies is dealt with at great length. The soil of u on which white pine generally grows, it is pointed ou.t, is eminently suitable, wlitn drained, for farming, and this provides a strong argument for the removal of the trees forthwith. It is pointed out that the'use of white pine for butter boxes is confined to Australia and New* Zealand. In other;'countries various timbers are used for the purpose. How long white pine will last at the present rate of consumption it is impossible to sajv as reliable data as to the area occupied by the tree is not obtainable. The Commission expresses tho opinion that a substitute for white pine can bo found, first of ail in an imported article, and later in timber grown in New Zealand. It is recommended that no restriction be placed on the exportation of whito pine t& Australia. In Australia tho whole contents of tho log, exclusive of waste, is saleable, but, jf the timber .were sold only in the Dominion, CO per cent, of the log output would remain in tho sawmillers* Also, if export of white pine to tho Commonwealth were prohibited, Australia might retaliato by declining to let New Zealand import hardwoods. Tho Commission recommends that thb Dairy Produce Division of the Agricultural Department should conduct exhaustive experiments into tho capabilities of various foreign and local timbers for butter boxes. Afforestation, Undor this heading the Comniission estimates that the.amount of limber consumed yearly in New Zealand is 358,000,000 ft., and that in 35 years it will be 710,000,000 ft. On March 31, 1912, the State plantations were 18,870 acres in extent. At the present Tate of planting, namely 2561! acres in 1911-12, tho total yield when converted would be 128,300,000 ft., which, at tho present rate of consumption, would last about four months. The Commission consider that at least two and a half times the acreage Df 1911-12 should be planted. Profits of Planting. The Commission furnishes a table showing what financial results may bo expected from tho planting of trees that come to early maturity, and produce large amounts of timber, such as piuus radiata,- poplar, and certain of the eucalypti, on land of low rental value. From evidence 'tendered, it is considered that pinus radiata would produce 150,000 superficial feet of limber pw acre, at the age of ,15 years. Taking the value of the land at J:" per acre, the figures would work out as follows:— Expenditure.—lo,ooo acres planted at ,ES per acre at 4.J per cent, compound interest for 35 years, .£373,M0. Rental value of land on the above basis, J!73,3-IG. Annual maintenance charge, at 6s, per

acre, on the same basis, ,£M4,ISS. Total expenditure. ,£(iol,]!tl. Estimated lieceipts. X Ten thousand acres, yielding 150,000 ft. per acre, at 2s. per , hundred 1,300,000 Deduct expenditure G91,1!M SOS.SOO If these results could be attained it would mean a profit of nearly .CDI per acre, and would allow the timber to be retailed at from 10s. to lis. per 100 superficial feet. On the other hand the growing of trees that take SO years to mature and cannot bo expected to produce more than 70,000 miperiicial feet to the ocro is, the report states, oil impossible proposition. The opinion is expressed that, given cheap-'land, economical management, and the right kind of trees to plant, aft'orestatiou can bo mnde a highly profitable investment to the State, and rccommends: (1) That the Prisons Department should have a credit note for the value of all work done by prison labour; (2) that 41 per cent interest should be debited annually to the cost of the previous year's operations; (3) that the rental value .of tho land, as assessed by the Government Valuation Department, also on a 4 per cent basis, should be debited to the forestry account. The Importance of Planting. Little reliance, the report states, is to be placed upon foreign supplies. Likewise, the time may come when it is possible that many countries will forbid tho export of their home-grown timber, and there is always the chance of the timber supply being cut off in time of war. In short, if there is good reason for the countries of tho'Old World to plant commercial forests, there is far more need for an isolated land, such as New Zealand, to do so. Nurseries. The State nursery at Whakafewarewa, the report states, is quite adequate as far a's position goes, but will soon be too small., Since the pumice lands of the Hot Lakes District are so admirably adapted for afforestation, a large nursery in their neighbourhood will be required for many years. It is recommended that suitable land adjoining the nursery should be acquired and added to its area. If the gum lands of tho far north are to be afforested, then it might be necessary to have a second nursery in their vicinity. One central nursery for the South Island is recommended in place of the three that now exist—at Tupanui, Kanfurly, and Hanmer. The neighbourhood of Studholme Junction, in .South Canterbury, is recommended as a suitable locality for a central nursery. Plantations. Plantations should he made, it is urged, in Cental Otago, near Ophir, Alexandra, or Clyde; one or more areas in the Mackenzie Plains; on ancient riverbeds of Canterbury beyond the reach of the highest floods; on Culverden Plain; on the slopes of Mount Isabel, Hanmer, near the present plantation; on run No. 21, near thiJ mouth of the Rangitikei Kiver, G3GO acres in extent, occupied by Sir. J. JTKelvie; on an extension oi ; tli-e present area on the volcanic plateau; and several areas in tho j, r uui lands of the Auckland districts. < State Operations. Tho present management of State forestry, the report states, is better than in tho past, but there is still room for improvement. Unsuitable trees are still being planted, special methods aro not being sufficiently tested, fire-breaks are not adequate, and there is not sufficient provision for educating the young men of tho branch in forestry. The method of ordering and procuring iceds could b'2 improved upon; too little attention is being paid to the establishment of quick-rotat-ing crops of trees. It is not necessary, in the opinion of tho commissioners, to create a special Forestry Department. They consider that forestry matters should continue to be dealt with under a special branch of the Lands Department. An Advisory Board, It is recommended that the 'directing control of the Forestry Branch of the Lands Department should be placcd in tho hands ef an executive officer,, at an adequate salary, sueli officer to be of approved administrative and financial ability. ■ That the -said officer have associated with him an' Advisory Board of experts in forestry • and matters appertaining thereto. Tho board to, consist of not less than four members, who are to be appointed by the Governor and paid such a fee as may Lo prescribed. Tho board, it is suggested, should be called together at least onco a quarter. Private Planting. The Commission recommends that private persons planting trees should get them at cost price, and that planting by private individuals should be encouraged by the remission of < taxes or otherwise on a certain percentage of the total area ofan estate which has been planted to the satisfaction of the Forestry Board. Afforestation by local bodies should also be encouraged, trees being supplied at cost price and the advice of a State forestry expert gratis. Various- Recommendations. The report deals extensively with such mattxrs as the selection of seed, and the planting and management of plantations. The commissioners state that during their investigations they have been frequently urged"-'to recommend the planting of one or other of tho indigenous trees. There is a general belief throughout New Zealand that the planting of certain kinds, especially tho totara and the puriri, would be commercially profitable. This idea, tho commissioners state, is altogether erroneous.. A full-grown totara may lie five hundred years old or upwards, liven English oak, which is considered too slow for forestry purposes, will grow twice as fast as puriri. It is recommended. that an economic survey.be made of the various private plantations throughout the Dominion. 'In 1905 the Government issued a small book on forestry by the late Mr. H. J. Matthews. It is recommended that this' publication be revised and brought up to date. Another recommendation is that a few able and intelligent young men should be given a practical training in the nurseries, combined with a scientific education at one or other of the New Zealand University Colleges. Necessary Legislation. In order that certain of their Tecom-' inendations may be given effect to, the commissioners recommend: That the Land Act be amended to provide for tho constitution of climatic reserves. That a law; be enacted making the Warawara kauri forest and 200 acres of tho Waipoua forest inalienablo national kauri parks. That the Scsnerv Preservation Act, which prohibits tho'use of firearms on a scenic reserve, be amended to permit the destruction of noxious animals.