FORESTRY FOR SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 86, 6 January 1919, Page 8

FORESTRY FOR SOLDIERS

* LTHE HIGH COMMISSIONER'S INQUIRIES UNSATISFACTORY LOCAL CONDITIONS Recently the High Commissioner (Sir Thomas knckoiizie) undertook »omo inquiries in tho United Kingdom regarding liireslry operations, with the object of gathering information t'hat might be of value to the Forestry Detriment in Now Zealand, lie learned that there is at present a shortage of instructors, but that it would be possible in the iiiture foe some New to receive instruction jn forestry ill Britain. "1 went to the lN'ew Forest with the Chief Government l''orester," writes Sir Thomas Mackenzie, "in order to 'seo something of the work that has been carried out under the Crown. 1 obtained a ureal deal of vory valuable information. Some of the fir feircjts which havo been growing for about twenty years are' worth JU2OO .per acre. I learned much of the nature of pests and diseases which attack the trees, and of the classes of trees that are adapted.to this climate and aro the most profitable to grow, which 1 was pleased to observe are tlioso which our experience has taught us are also tho most profitable to New Zealand. In discussing the question of instruction with the Chief Forester X gathered that the great difficulty now was to find instructors, but a course of two years would give a man excellent training." Iteturned soldiers have been employed to some extent in forestry operations in New Zealand already, but the official reports indicate that the results have not been encouraging. The conditions of employment do not seem to suit tho men. The superintendinß nurseryman for the North Island reports:—"The scarcity of labour has made it impossible to carry out much of the work that was planned. Many returned soldiers have been employed, but except in a few cases they remained for only a short tune. Any camp mado for these men must necessarily be of a temporary character because of the shifting nature of the work, and consequently there are discomforts which many nion .are not prepared to face. Arrangements are now being made to improve the living conditions, because many returned men are not physically fit to rough it.- A kitchen building of sufficient dimensions to accommodate forty men when dining is being erected, and, although the men. will bo required to live intents, these are being provided with wooden, floors and aro reasonably comfortable. It is hoped that by making the conditions more attractive many returned soldiers will bo induced to accept work 011 the plantations. Tho open-air life and good climatic conditions obtaining in the Ilotorua district have a recuperative value which will probably bo availed of by many returned soldiers.'' A similar report is made by the superintending nurseryman for the South Island, who reports:—"Tho depression in tho labour market necessitated a. revision in our projected planting scheme, and, indeed, at times tne prospects ot being able to carry through even a rtasonablo amount of work were anything but . bri'hl'. The actual propagation ot trees oil °the nurseries causes little concern regarding labour, as this worb, being ot a light nature, does not demand the stamina required for tho more laborious phases of preparation of pits, scrub-cut-ting, planting, etc., on perhaps abrujib hillsides, where much ot the .Departments work is now being undertaken, yuite a number of discharged soldiers have from time to' time supplemented our plantation gangs, but, although several are still in the service and doing excellent work, the largo, majority, after a stay o£ ft short duration, find the conditions uncongenial and leave. "it is reasonable to inter, however, that 011 peaco being declared, many rehi nun o, men will wail themselves 01 such work as in at present ottered by the forestry brunch, find with this object in view the continued raising of seedlings on at least the present basis is commendable. There is 110 doubt that in not being able to provide work during wet weather the Department is greatly handicapped, and perhaps the loss of time thereby 111uurrcd by workmen is the chief contributing factor to early discontent. As our South Island plantations arc scnrcelj; far enough advanced for milling operations, we are unable to dovetail the tree-plant-ing work with that of timber conversion. Every reasonable effort is directed upon making the camps comfortable, but a movement towards still further improvement in this respect is now being aimed at. At Greenvalo 'Plantation, where employees now 'bach,' several buildings will be drawn together and converted into a kitchen and' dining-room, where meals will T>e provided at actual cost. Altlioiitfh this' innovation may not meet with tho anticipated success, it will surely demon--Btrato tho possibilities of overcoming what now appears to be 0110 of tho chicf objections raised by men now ottering."