The Globe. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1876.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 716, 5 October 1876, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1876.

Sir JuiiiTTS Vogel has, in a letter recently addressed to the Wellington Argus, entered into a defence of the measure for the conservation of State forests, passed last session. The moving cause of the communication of the ex-Premier |is, that a Bill for the repeal of the Act is now before the House. In his letter Sir Julius enters into a defence of the provisions of the Act. He points out the good effects of conservation of forests in other countries, which cannot be denied. A graceful tribute is also paid to other members of the Assembly and colonists, who have in like manner urged the paramount importance of the conservation of our forests. No one will, we think, for one moment contend that the saving of the forests of the country from wholesale and reckless demolition is not a necessary step. The arguments used by the ex-Premier in defence of- ; the - Act more than tend to strengthen this. But, whilst we"" fully agree with it, there is another point upon which we differ entirely from the course pursued by the late Government. In the last paragraph of his letter Sir Julius deals with the appointment of, Oaptain Campbell Walker. This gentleman has been brought from India, at a very large salary, to do what ? To inspect the forests of the country and report upon what plan he proposed for their conservation. The arrangement, as Sir Julius tells us, is for twelve months certain ; so, for that time, we must be content to pay and say nothing. But we most strongly protest against a longer continuance of such an ill-advised appointment. Here we have a gentleman, brought from a distant country, unacquainted with our forest trees, their habits, and manner of growth. To this gentleman, who must learn all that he knows :of New Zealand at the expense of the. colony, it'is proposed, provided the present appointment remains in force, to'commit the future conservation of ?our forests. There is a provision in Captain Walker's agreement that an increase in his present salary shall be made if. the...-Government retain hjs services for a longer period after the ,twe|ve months has n expired- .It Beem.s to us'very straWge'.thftt .the .Go vernr ment should go so far from the colony to obtain the.-services, of an officer qualified'"to undertake the duties of Inspector of Forests. Surely there are persons in the colony, who have passed the best part of their lives in it, who are intimately acquainted with the habits and mode of growth of New Zealand trees. It would certainly have been far better appoint a person like this, than to bring in a total stranger, whose means, of acquiring'practical information on the subject would, to say the least of it, be remarkably limited. But, after all the appointment of Captain Walker is a small matter compared with the consequences likely to ensue if the proposal of the present Government icarried out. The Premier, in speakin~ on the second reading of the Eepeal of Forests Act Bill, stated that he supported it with a view of amending it in committee. The direction in which he wished to make the amendment was to repeal the clauses of the Act now in force providing the annual appropriation. In other words, the Government desire to render the Act nugatory so far as the providing of means for its working goes. Now we cannot but regret that, for the sake of what we regard as a paltry saving, the Government should be willing to put a stop to what cannot but be of permanent benefit to the colony. The good results arising from the working oftheActfar more than compensate for the annual expenditure incurred. The experience of other countries, as quoted by Sir Julius Yogel, all tends to show that conservation of forests and encouragement of planting have been the means of very great and lasting good being done. It would be far better to allow of the present Act being continued than, by withdrawing all appropriation, to put a stop to the working of what we consider one of the most useful pieces of legislation of the Assembly. Under these circumstances, we trust the House will reject both the Eepealing Bill and the proposed Government amendment.