CONSERVATION OF FORESTS.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 43, 20 July 1874, Page 4

CONSERVATION OF FORESTS.

The following is that portion of the Premier's speech in moving the second reading of the Forests Reserves Bill, which has special reference to New Zealand : He now came more particularly to the question as it affected New Zealand. Among the papers would be found a calculation by Dr Hector, showing the percentage of forest land in New Zealand, and its rate of destruction during the years 1860, 1868, and 1873. He might say that Dr Hector does not consider these figures anything more than mere approximations, and in many cases it was impossible to give anything like the exact figures. The abstract showed that, in Auckland, the destruction of orest amounted in 1868 to 58*75 ; in Taranaki it was 10 0 ; in Wellington, 200 ; in Plawke's Bay, 60-82 ; in Nelson, 166 ; in Marlborough, 125 ; in Canterbury, 10 0; in Westland. 50; and in Otago, 12 34. During the next five years there was a further destruction, which amounted in Auckland to 2727 per cent ; Taranaki, IVI ; Wellington, 25 0 ; Hawke's Bay, 30 5 ; Nelson, 20 0 ; Marlborough, 28-57; Ca/iterbury, 33-3; Westland, 2105; Otago, 10-71. Whether correct or not, these figures are very suggestive of what he thought every hon member must know to be the case, although we have not the power to see the practical effect throughout the Colony, the destruction of timber had gone on at a most alarming rate.' There could be no question that natural bush was not so valuable as planted forest. In the Otago report was the following remarkable statement as to the value of artificial grown bush : "The advantage of full grown artificial plantations would be that every single tree could be turned into the proper stuff—not one nineteenth, as is the case with natural growth." Another thing that was very remarkable to his mind was the proportionate care given to the management of State forests ; the people as they became accustomed to the value of forests also became sensible of the necessity for protecting them from fire. In Germany it would be eonsidered as heinous to set a forest on fire as to set a house on fire ; but in New Zealand a man would have little hesitation in lighting hispipe or boiling his billy of water, and endangering a whole forest, extending over many thousand acres. He was not at all sure that the timber of New Zealand was so valuable as some people supposed ; butthatsomeof it was exceedingly valuable he had no doubt. An argument that might be used was that in some places there existed large quantities of timber. " Oh," some people would say, "timber is in such quantity here that we are not aware of any legislation being necessary." But forestry was as much the utilisation of existing forests as the production of fresh ones. In Westland, Taranaki and Wellington, it might be argued that there was already too much forest land, and forests required to be cleared. Putting aside for one moment the impolicy of recklessly destroying forests, experience shows the rapidity of their destruction. It was rather difficult to realise large numbers. Let them suppose they had placed before them extensive figures which only underwent a slight process of exhaustion ; or let anyone be placed in a room where there were 100,000 sovereigns, he would hardly suppose that such a sum could be expended ; but if he was connected with the Government of the country he would soon form a very different oninhn. [Laughter. | So with our indigenous forests. When the House came to consider that in the State of New York alone 50,000 acres were required each year for railway use alone, ifc would be easy to understand how futile it was to speak of forests being inexhaustible, unless something was done in the way of replacing them. He said this on behalf of those provinces which were well timbered ; not only for timber but for climate, and pleaded for them some alienation -it would be very small—as a forest estate for the whole colony. Before dealing with the question of the establishment of State foret-ts, the chief difficulty in entering upon such a large question was to reconcile the peculiar circumstances and interests of the colony in a comprehensive system of management. The first question arising was, hoy was it to be dealt with by the colony without infringing and invading provincial rights to an extent that would make it impossible to be sanctioned by the Assembly.

He had before now practically evinced his desire, and had never failed to do justice to the rights of the provinces, and to the usefulness of Provincial Governments ; but he had never hesitated to express his opinion, that where it was necessary to do so for the good of the colony as a whole, the provinces must give way. He was convinced that New Zealand would be found to be similarly situated as India in regard to this forest question, where it was found necessary that it should be dealt with by the Central Government, and not by the Provincial ones. It would be unfortunate if such a country as New Zealand were not able to obtain the best skilled assistance, and they' certainly could not hope to do so if the various provinces were to have a separate and independent forest department, if they so chose. He was glad to see a disposition now being shown by the various provinces to attend much more carefully to the matter than formerly. Notably, in Otago and Auckland, a large amount of attention had been given to the tree-planting question, and he begged leave to think with beneficial results. He had thought over many plans of dealing with this question. Of course, they could have no forests without land ; and land was a matter about which the provinces were particularly tenacious. If the colony expended money, and the provinces provided the land, there would be such a demand for expenditure as it would be impossible to meet. On the other hand, if the colony spent the money and had the laud, there might be a probability of some rigid rule being laid down. It became evident after full consideration, that the only way of settling the matter was to deal with the provinces rateably and by a per-centage. He concluded that the following conditions were necessary to carry out any plan which was likely to receive the support of the Legislature. These were—first, that the scheme should be of a colonial character: i.e., that so far as State forests are concerned, the colony should have the absolute control of forests that should be developed into State forests, but the Government will avoid any action with existent forests which would be liable to disturb existing industries by stopping the useof the timber of the country required for current purposes ; and if this system became as successful as they imagined it would be, means were provided for including other forests under the same management. Several large provinces had not hesitated to show their willingness to grant bonuses to private individuals in the shape of land for planting trees, therefore there could be no objection to give land to the State—the Central Government. However, they proposed that some more absolute inducement might be held out, and they came to the conclusion that it would be desirable, in proposing to take a certain amount of land in each province, to give such province quid pro quo in exchange. Until lately it had been the custom in connection with New Zealand accounts to set apart annually a sinking fund —a practice that was very much objected to, and latterly the fallacy of sinking funds had been understood in New Zealand. With the exception of some cases, in which such a process was necessary, they did not agree with sinking funds, but in the present state of the law, provinces had to pay sinking fund on the cost of the railways. This was necessary because the colony was responsible for their debts. A penny invested annually as sinking fund at something like five per cent, would give in the course of thirty-five years something like 150 times the original amount. So, in the course of time, State forests would possess an enormous aggregate value, and would be available for the purpose of extinguishing the public debt of the colony. Acting upon that principle, the Government came to the conclusion that the provinces should hand over to the colony three per cent of the whole of their lands, to be set apart as State forests ; and in return they would relieve the provinces of interest and repayment of principal on the cost of constructing the railways. He thought it would be found on reckoning up the amounts which the railways would cost the Provinces, and the amount of the annual payment of one per cent for sinking fund, that the exchange will be a very profitable one for the Provinces. He thought further that the proposal came particularly well from them to over State forests to those who came after them, and to say to them, " We have borrowed money, by which we have covered the country with railways, and endeavored to create homes for a large population. We have taken care not to injure the climate, and we now hand to you these forests, which will more than pay the liabilities we have devolved on you." It was very much the custom to compare what they did in this Colony with what was done elsewhere—and it was an assertion that was amply borne out and he believed that this colony, as were other colonies, was in a better position to deal with this question than many of the large countries of the world. Here we had land belonging to the State, entirely free and unencumbered, while the difficulties met with in Europe, and notably Germany, were in extinguishing various rights over the soil, and in the latter place large sums of money had been expended in purchasing land which interfered with the proper management of State forests. The object and scope of the measure he was proposing was to take land which was absolutely free, for State forests, and to apply to them in the best possible manner the benefits that experienced skill could devise. He would now direct attention to the provisions of the Bill. They proposed to take £IO,OOO a year from the Consolidated Revenue, to devote to tree planting; and proposed to have the right to select three per cent of the lands throughout the colony for the purpose of conserving and creating State forests. The selection would be made under conditions which effectually—as it appeared to him—prevented the alienation for such a purpose of lands of exceptional value, or in approximation of towns. Among other things, provision was made for establishing towns in forests. No doubt, if the system came to be the success which it was desired to be, one of its most useful purposes would be to establish in connection with the forests of the colony towns similar to those which had been so successful in the European countries to which he had referred. The whole of the money proposed to be taken from the consolidated revenue—£lo,ooo annually—would be placed at the disposal of the department for the purpose of planting and maintaining forests, and the department world also hold the revenues arising from the whole of the forests. With one exception, it was not proposed to expend any money without the authority of Parliament. The exception was in regard to theseleclionof the chief conservator of forests and it was necessary to give the Governor power to appoint him for live years, and to

appoint his two subordinates, because it was not possible to get men of sufficient knowledge and experience unless they were able to offer them more or less lengthy engagements. This was the solitary exception. The provisions in the Bill preventing unfair selection, would commend themselves to the minds of hon members. Further, the Bill absolutely released the provinces from all payment on account of sinking fund for the railways now being constructed under the Public Works and Immigration Act. Power was given, of a purely voluntary character, to arrange with Provincial Governments for the management and acquisition of larger forests than those included in the area to be taken absolutely. This part of the Bill depended much on the success attending the establishment of forests, as he had before said, and to that part of the Bill there could not, he thought, be any valid objection. The hon gentleman then spoke as follows :—I hardly think I need apologise for detaining the House so long. What I have to apologise for is inadequately dealing with the subject—dealing with it having very little real knowledge of it, except what I have gained by laboriously culling the knowledge and opinions of others, but I desire to plead on behalf of New Zealand that, whilst we are developing and improving the colony by means of great public works, we should not lose sight of its great natural features, without which we cannot make attractive use of the country nor make it attractive as homes for the industrious . It is quite possible the House may not consider it desirable to decidathis question this session. I admit it is one of a very large nature, but while the Government are anxious that it should be dealt with this session, we must feel almost a sort of pride and gratification if this Parliament, which has done so much in favor of the construction of public works would make provision,not only for those public works, but for the means of repaying them, and endow the future with what would no doubt be a most magnificent property, —more valuable than the railways themselves —which will not only preserve the value of the country, but provide means in the future for an industrious population. Whilst I cannot help thinking that it would be wise on the part of the colony to deal with the question at once, the House may possibly tbink it desirable not to do so ; at any rate, no harm can come of the subject being ventilated, and some portion of the session, however short it may be, may be devoted to this very important question. It is the question of questions for New Zealand, so much so, that it is fairly a question whether in the absence of a system of replacing and taking care of our forests we ought to allow a single foot of timber to leave the colony. We have enormous need for timber in the future ; are we to use and to forget that we are exhausting ? If we do deal with this question, let us be content with nothing but the very best plans, the most scientific treatment—that treatment which experience shows to be the soundest. I claim for New Zealand in this matter a something to cling to for generations, which shall shape its future, decide its climate, its adaptability for settlement, its economical value, its beauty, its healthfulness, its pleasure bestowing qualities. I claim for it in this matter the best, the very best that we, its founders, can initiate. I see that between the rough-and-ready idea of unskilled planting, burning off stumps, and setting out nursery plantations and that scientific care of forests I have indicated, including the planting, thinning, cutting, and transport of timber, construction of roads and bridges, changing from one cultivation to another, in short, a disposition, not of the hour nor of the day, but of the generations, the ages, as in Germany and Scotland —as much difference as between the paper boats of boyhood, and the grand ships with which Great Britain controls the commerce of the world. Recognising the vast gulf which separates the different modes of treatment, shall we allow the colony to abide under the worst conditions, when it is in our power to favor it with the best 1 That is the question which this Bill asks you. (Cheers.)