THE MOTU FOREST.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2055, 16 April 1907, Page 2

THE MOTU FOREST.

At tlio mooting of tho Land Board yesterday Mr. llanson appeared to explain why only £373 of the £BO7 worth of improvements required on his soction in tho Motu S.D. had boon carried out.

Mr. Hanson said the improvements had not been made becauso. tho land was boing held for tho purpose of working the valuable timber thereon, lie would refer tho Board to the report of tho expert, who said tho timber was tho best in tho district. Only about 130 acres had been felled, and ho thought lie should not bo called upon to destroy the good timber on tho land. The only way to improve tho land was by lelling the timber. Tho timber over all the section was of excellent quality. Several enquiries had been received as to placing a mill on the soction, and he believed that a mill would beforo long bo erected. The railway would come within five miles of the soction. Mr. Kensington had reported that there was good milling timber over the whole thousand acres of the section.

The Commissioner saw no way oi getting behind tho regulations, and could not see how the Board could meet tho case.

Mr. Hansen thought something might bo done by a recommendation from the Board. If the Board so wished he was prepared to go on with tho clearing of tho soction. He had waited on in hopes of being able to work the timber, and it had to be remembered that the land would never again yield so valuable a crop as it had at present. It would bo a good thing for the railway if there was a mill on the section. The Commissioner said he understood the same would apply to all the land in the district. Tho present application opened up a big question, as everybody in the district might mako similar applications. Mr. Hyde said the Board might take tho desired action if a promise wore given that a mill would be erected in a given time. If there were a mill on the section, the clearing of the land woidd soon follow. Mr. Hansen said that at present the section was too far from the railway, but roads now being put through would bring it within 20 miles. The

best timber in the district excepting his section and ono or two others,

had already been destroyed. Mr. Bertram said it would be a pity if this timber were destroyed. Mr. Hansen, in answer to the -Com - missioner, said that very little of the land was rough, and that he believed the mill could work the whole of the

section. A valley ran through the section and a tramway could be put right through. Mr. Bartram said that if the applicant placed a house on the section the improvement demands would be satisfied.—Applicant said he already had a house on an adjoining freehold. Tho Commissioner said the case was not so much an individual one—the Board had to consider the effect of their decision on the whole district. It was not a matter that the Board could decide hurriedly. Personally lie would like an opinion on the matter. There were various opinions as to the forest. He had heard that the timber was not what it was cracked up to be—there was good timber, but it was very scattered. The present applicant might have the cream of the timber on his section. A decision on the application would be come to at the next meeting of the Board in Napier.