TIMBER CONSERVATION

Hokitika Guardian, 6 July 1920, Page 4

TIMBER CONSERVATION

DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS

FROM WORKERS FEDERATION CONFERENCE.

(By our Special Parliamentary

Correspondent)

WELLINGTON, July 5

Timber Conservation was one of the matters brought before members of the Ministry to-day, by representatives of the Federated Timber Workers, who waited upon the Minister for Labour, (Sir Wiliiam Merries), the Minister for Forestry, (Sir Francis Bell), and Minister for L’ublic Works, (Hon. J. G. Coates). Tbo deputation presented the resolutions adopted by the annual conference of the Federation. DEPUTATION’S VIEWS. Mr T. O’Byrnp urged the need for conservation of fgrests and lor reafforestation. Government should take over tlie timber industry and place it under control of a business department, which should be appointed to see that the bush was properly worked and that wastage was avoided in cutting and milling. The wastages under present conditions was a serious item. CHARGE OF EXPLOITATION. Mr F. Turley stated that a West Coast syndicate had got control ol 10,000 acres of bush, and was proposing to exploit it. The prospectus of the syndicate showed that the promoters were going to receive £28,000 for having induced the Warden to issue a license. Timber workers objected strongly to this sort of thing, and they wished the Government to interfere. If Government would not act, the workers were prepared to take action on their own account, by declaring the syndicate’s mills to be non-union mills. The Federation was prepared to prevent its members working for the Syndicate. SIR F. D. BELL REPLIES.

Sir F. D. Bell, in reply, said that lie wifs delighted to hear the representations of the deputation. He had been fighting for just what the deputation was asking, but when he had gone to the West Coast to urge conservation measures that had been proposed by speakers, he had found the whole district to lie against him. Even the water side workers had protested against a limitation of the export of timber. It seemed to him impossible to conserve timber for the people of New Zealand and at the same time allow export. He agreed that the powers of Wardens must be curtailed, if the forests were to bo conserved. FORESTRY DEPARTMENT.

The Forestry Department, continued Sir F. D. Bell, moved in that direction, by placing a provisional reservation on certain forest areas, which then came under control of the Minister for Forestry and could not be worked without his consent. The proclamation of forest reserves had raised many protests on the West Coast. Wardens ought not to he allowed to allot areas of forest to sawmillers without the consent of the Forestry Department. The protection of existing forests and the reservation of the timber for the people of New Zealand was the pollcy of the Government. The establishment of co-operative sawmills had been considered by the Government. The objection to that scheme was that the Government wish to conserve the remaining forest areas, and not work them, while private areas were supplying the necessary timber. He was in entire agreement with the workers as to the importance of having all the timber cut and milled to the best advantage. His biggest fight as Minister at the head of the Forestry Department had been on that point. The sawmillers did not want to be interferred with and he did not see how the Government could interfere with the existing licenses. Protests had arisen from the fact that the Government was putting new conditions in new licenss. He was glad to have the support of the workers. INSPECTION OF MACHINERY Mr F. Turley complained that the inspection of machinery in Westland was not adequate. One Inspector had been provided for Westland and Buller. Recently this officer had been granted an assistant, but lie was not covering the ground adequately. Two accidents had occurred recently on one plant near Hokitika, through the same cause, hut the inspector when asked to intervene had said that he would inspect the plant when he had time. The Inspector, said Mr Turley, was doing much work outside of his Department. Boys and girls under sixteen years of age should not he allowed to work in bush sawmills. Mr Turlev remarked that the timber work, ers wished to follow constitutional methods, but they were determined to secure the necessary reforms. If the Government would not move, they might have .to adopt other methods. BLANK CARTRIDGE? Sir Francis Bell.—That is no good, firing blank cartridges. Mr Turley—l don’t know that tho cartridge is altogether bl%ji. Sir Wm. Herries added that if the Inspector of Machinery on the West Coast had too large a district, ho would be prepared to recommend the appoint ment of an additional officer, or a division of the district.'