A WISE DEPARTURE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 34, 4 November 1918, Page 4

A WISE DEPARTURE

Satisfactory evidence that the National Government is alive. to the necessity of setting a period to the wasteful destruction of our native forests appears, in the Ministerial statements made to a Farmers Union deputation on Saturday, The Government took a tentative stop in the right direction somo time ago when it created the office of Minister of Forestry, with Sir. Francis Bell as its first occupant. But a Miriisteiy however able and zealous he may be, is helpless without a properly organised department and a working fund to operate upon. Sir James Wilson remarked on Saturday that the Farmers' Union favoured the appointment of a skilled forester, and this obviously is the first thing necessary in order that the forests of the Dominion may be conserved and worked to the best advantage. . To an extent the rank and file personnel of the Forest Department may be obtained by (transfer from existing Departments, but if it is to do its work efficiently it must_ be placed' in charge of a scientific forester competent to organise the long-deferred activities of forest conservation and development throughout the Dominion. Mr. Masseys statement that arrangements for a forestry policy have been made.no doubt mean's that what expert assistance needed will be obtained with as little loss of time as possible. Further _ evidence of the Government's intentions is supplied in Sir , Joseph Ward's announcement that £150,000 is to be provided this year for purposes of forestry. As Mr. Massey observed, this is a good beginning. What information is availablo goes to show- that it is still possible by conservation, and, in places, by restoration, to make our native forests a permanent and richly productive mine of national wealth. Tho Prime Minister had something to say on Saturday about tree-plant-ing, by the State and by individuals, and his words deserve attention. But the first and most important, thing to be undertaken in this country where forestry is concerned is a comprehensive survey and do-, marcation of our native bush. Apart from the inevitable clearing of land for settlement, vast areas of timberbearing land which should havo been permanently reserved in, that character have been devastated. Some of these areas may be restored, partly by replanting and part--; ly by natural regeneration. At all events the inauguration of any forest policy worthy of the name will mean at least an end of wasteful destruction where areas still forestclad are in question. Except in areas which will bo of more value cleared, the cutting-out of forests must give place to methods which will make them permanent sources of. timber supply. There is good profit to the State in forestry. Under rational methods what is sunk in forest development will yield a rich return. At the same time forests worked under such methods offer a wide field of healthy and profitable employment, and in many cases forest work will dovetail admirably into the development of pioneer and other settlement. From the point of view of employment, forestry compares "favourably with most other rural enterprises, and

in this country forest work may take an important place in the Government's repatriation scheme. In itself and as a, stepping-stone or as an adjunct to the an agricultural holding, work in the forests will no doubt appeal to large

numbers of soldiers returning from the war. Forestry activities afford an opening not only to men who are physically fit, but to those who are partly disabled. An English writer pointed out recently that while ordinary forest work is not a fit task for any but the strong who have suffered no injury, there is work in the nurseries w,hich is well within the capacity of the partly disabled. The introduction of systematic forestry methods is demanded in _ any case in the interests of national economy. But the Government has a further excellent reason for showing enterprise in this direction in the fact that in saving what remains of our forest wealth it will bp taking a ready means of solving some of the problems of repatriation.