WESTLAND FORESTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 June 1919, Page 1

WESTLAND FORESTS.

The following letter appeared in the Christchurch Press last week. “Justice to All,” is just about as ignorant of the fact's of the case as some of the Forestry officials are of the cultivation of the New Zealand native forests. Such crass ignorance of the position is another example why wrong upon wrong is heaped upon Westland by the officials of to-day—they know not Westland, its people, nor its vast natural resources—and they seem to take a delight in airing their stupidity and their ignorance. The letter speaks for itself as follows: Sir,—The West Coasters are up in arms at the proclamation of the Attor-ney-General reserving large areas from sawmilling. It only shows how the Westlanders have been pampered in the past. They were always given what they asked for in the provincial days Some of the old hands recollect the “stand and deliver” attitude of the West Coasters then, and even ill the world crisis when troops were called out to defend New Zealand’s liberties, the Defence Authorities climbed down to exempt the miners of the West Coast from active service or the Westlanders threatened to strike over the coal mining, and now, when, from some very good reason it is necessary to conserve the timber of the country, the West Coasters are not satisfied with nit props being exempted from the timber resrietions but must get no en masse against the reservations. T 1 is clear that the rest of New- Zealand lias to play second fiddle to the West Coast in consequence of the way in which it lias been pampered and spoonfed' in bygone days, I hope the Minister will be firm, and point out that the burdens of the country have to lie borne by all classes and all districts There is nothing that the West Coast lias ever done which I consider entitles them to special privileges while the position token towards the war, and the disposition to cut off the supply of coal to the cast part of Canterbury should be sufficient to stiffen the upper lip against the demands for handing the forests over to. the wasteful extravagance of the timber proprietors.—Yours etc. JUSTICE TO ALL.