FORESTRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 September 1921, Page 4

FORESTRY.

GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS. j WELLINGTON, Septetulier 23. ! The Government's proposals in regard to forestry arc contained in n Bill which was read a first time in the House this afternoon. The State Korest Service is to consist of the Commissioner of State Forests, the Director of Forestry, the Secretary of Forestry, and such conservators, rangers and other officers as may from time to time he appointed as officers of the State Forest Service. There will lie two branches, professional and administrative. the Director being the load of (lie former, and the Secretary id the latter. The Director is to be aj.| <iint<'il for a term not exceeding five years, but shall be eligible for re-appoiut moiit. Provision has been made for ti: I ointment of an Assistant Director, a Chief Inspectin', and Honorary Rangers and forest oltiicrs.

A Forest Advisory Board will consist of the following: The Director of !•<"- estry, who shall he the chairman of the Board: the Secretary of Forestry, one member to he appointed a- representative of persons engaged as employers ;n the sawmilling industry, one member to lie appointed as representatives ul pc’ suns engaged as workers in lie- snwi,idling industry, one member to in’ appointed as representative of per.-ons < agnged in the distribution or use of forest produce, one member to be appointed as representative ot ally assoeiateli <if persons (whether iiiriu'pnrati'd or not) w hose obi'-vt. or one of w hose objects, is the promotion of fmestry. a person ‘or tin' lime being bolding office as a Professor of Fore-try at an institution affiliated to the University of New Zealand, three other persons to be appointed on tiie reei on mi uda t mil ef the Mili-i-ler.

Part 2 of the Bill deals with State Fiil'esl s. t row n lands may be set apart

as permani'iil or provisional State Forest-. as may also areas of National Eudow iia'ii Lands. There is provision lor the purchase of private lands for State Forest purposes, and the Minister may carry on industries in relation to forest produce. Tin re are to b>' working plans for each State Forest. These plans shall specify the maximum area from which forest produce mat be taken annually, the maximum quantity of forest produce that, may lie disposed ( ,f annually.

ami the silvicultural operations !>l(J[Hisej to fie carried out during the eorreney of tiie plan and such other matters as the Director thinks fit. subject to the approval of the Minister in charge. There are provisions in regard to fire districts. Part I of the Rill deals with tinaickal provisions including the raising of loans for the purposes of State Forest-, not exceeding ill the aggregate half a million sterling. Part 7 contains clause- relating to olleiiees. penalties, and incidental prn-vi-ion-. There i- a special provision in regard to Maori forests. Assembled owners of native forest laud may, by resolution, transfer control to the State Forest Service.