The Fielding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1897. CONSERVATION OF FORESTS.

Feilding Star, Volume XIX, Issue 106, 1 November 1897, Page 2

The Fielding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1897. CONSERVATION OF FORESTS.

Mr G. 8. Perrin, Conservator of Btate Forests in Victoria, wbo attended the Timber Conference in New Zealand last year, has published a report. Commenting on the quantity of tbe timber from New Zealand forests used for building and otber purposes during the past fifty years, Mr Perrin says its value is not easily estimated, but he considers that the kauri alone thus expended represents an almost fabulous sura of money, " Yet," continues Mr Perrin, "in spite of expert evidence as to the utilisation of these magnificent resources, in the face of rapid denudation of foreet areas near the centres of trade and industry, the probable total extinction of the noble kauri, and the absolute certainty that thousands of acres of forests are prac- j tically perishing, the extraordinary | fact remains that past Governments I have allowed forest conservation to retrograde, although disaster must inevitably result from such neglect in ! the loss of timber supplies." He re minds us that all experience proves the wholesale destruction of timber trees to be a national blunder, and that to repair the injury thus effected involves the outlay of enormous sums of money. Following the sensible idea of Sir Julius Yogel on this subject, Mr Perrin recommends that a Forest Department should be created witb power to make permanent and inalienable reserve areas as may be found, from time to time, necessary. Mr Perrin thinks political interference with the working of such forests should be specially guarded against, an opinion which will be shared by every sensible person in th* 1 colony wbo has realised what " political interference " now means. No new settlements should be permitted within the forest area, and where settlement has already been established the land should be re-purchased by tbe Government- The Chief Conservator should be a trained man, and the Board of Commissioners should be non-political. The business of the Board would be to guard the forests, as national propeity, from encroachments by private individuals or by local bodies, to advise tbe Minister, and to generally " back up " the Conservator. These recommendations are all excellent, but in the present condition of political ethics in New Zealand they are simply impossible Mr Perrin goes on to say tbat unless the reforms indicated are inaugurated promptly, the timber famine with which this colony is menaced will actually come to pass. Hh alao refers to the large quantities of timber now required for wood paving in all the great cities of the world, and asserts that where the authorities acquire the knowledge that Australian hard woods are actually the best in the world for such purpose, the possibilities of State forestry will assume startling significance, while neglect to profit by the information now available uiu-t be regarded as almost

criminal. The report contains an J elaborate descriptions of New Zealand I forests in both North and South Islands, and gives an exhaustive chapter on the industrial and commercial uses of New Zealand timber trees, protection from fire in State forests, and other kindred subjects. That legislation in the direction indicated is an absolute necessity must be patent to evory well-wisher of the colony, but, unhappily, as we have said before, the relative positions of the political parties in our Legislature make anj hope of useful work being done impossible.