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Hokitika Guardian, 31 July 1922, Page 2

Trn: Licensing Committee’s report presented to Parliament at the week-end appears to be very much on the lines which the man in the street has been discussing for the past three months or so. The Committee sot up by Parliament was largely partisan so far as opposing opinions on the liquor traffic goes, and for that reason nothing very impartial was to he expected. Several of the Committeemen sat with warred views which no amount of evidence one way or the other could straighten. For that- reason it was not expected there would be anything very convincing about the report. Mr Massey has said there is to be no licensing legislation this session, and for that reason the country might have been spared the cost of the Parliamentary enquiry. The Prime _ Minister could have saved a few hundred pounds for a more useful purpose, but evidently he had to pander to political opinion as a sop to quieten criticism in that direction. The report indicates that the snirit of coninromise was abroad so far as the decisions go. and to that extent the report is helpful as showing that in respect to certain matters Parliament might well attempt some legislation. But the report shows at once that there is no outlook as regards the future expansion of the Dominion, and the desire to limit licensed houses unduly is not in the interests of the public at large. The report favors monopoly rather than free Lade, and that protection of the nature mentioned is fallacious, has l>ecn proven over and over again since tlu* war As regards the maintenance of the ; trade, the electors are to decide the j broad issue before the close of the year. ! No doubt the Government will prefer to await that mandate before tinkering j with the licensing laws, hut when they I arc reviewed we hope it will be in I a thorough and comprehensive way ' thinking more of the general public as | a whole than of the noisy extremists ! of whom so much is heard when liron- I sing polls loom up. j

Accoiiihnc to reports the Forestry Department contemplates undertaking reafforestation work in Westland in the near future. For a considerable time past a large area of territory between ltimu and Lake Mahinapua has lx'en resolved for foresrty purposes. It is land which is said to bo rather suitable for the purpose in mind, and affords facilities for tree growing under differing conditions, ranging from the sea const to the uplands of the terraces removed from the effects of the sea breezes. The land is believed to ho not suitable for agricultural purposes, but in former times it carried a forest, and the effort will be to reproduce artificially what nature did naturally by garbing the area with varied forest growth. Much of the initial work will be experimental in regard to both trees and land. Numerous kinds of trees will be used and various forms of plantation ndopTed. A nursery is to he established on a suitable area of rich soil within three miles of the reservation, and at the nursery healthy tree plants will he grown, and as suitable will he replanted in their perman- j ont home. A eonsidernbe staff of nur- i serymen and foresters will be required ; for the work, and it is said a staff from an Fast Coast nursery which is being closed down, will he transferred to the districtj and established. The, pifive- . lnent will ho welcomed m evidence f>? jn«f r-f nrptfoM worjr jjefnjj SttpiUfM

in a district which has proved itself the home of forest growth. Promises of a spacious nature have been made hitherto in regard to this proposal, but it seems likely that at last something definite and tangible is to be done along the lines indicated in the foregoing.