Forest Policy.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 August 1922, Page 4

Forest Policy.

FUTURE TIMBER SUPPLIES. J IMPORTANT -SURVEY OF POSITION. In a foreword to the Forestry report, .the ’ Director, Mr L. AL "Ellis, remarks .‘that 2,600.000 acj;es A>f fpjested Crown lands have been defined and still are awaiting dedication as provisional State forests. These areas are hjghly desirable for proclamation and administration by the service. Serious delays in practical fulfilment of forest policy; anjd in -.the Jt>ußding,offorests ns, permanent wood-producing properties is being caused by lack of trained forest technicians and other properly instructed forest officers. He sincerely hopes ! financial conditions- will,permit of the creation of technical educational facilities within .the next year. The fact .that two forest conservation regions, (Wellington and .Nelson-Marlborough, are without conservators, is commented upon, and it is added trat forest research arid experimental programme is sadly hampered by lack of trained forest investigators. A comprehensive series of studies, .tests and inypstiga-;: tions in indigenous and man-made for- 1 ests is deemed necessary to evolve an, adequate silvicidtural policy and a workable ,system of natural and artificial regrowth in our forest producing properties. These important and vital works may only be executed in conjunction (.with a properly equipped experiment station. This, the Director, suggests, should be established in land, in -he jicsut of .New .greatest f.irest region. Incidence of taxation 911 .foreign lands and .plantations he criticises as a bar to planting and operating of private forestry andtree farms, and lie requests investiga--tion of an equitable scheme of taxation. The Director comments that a scientific method of taxation, whereby the! major burden comes at the culmination of the crop, would stimulate fuller par. ticipation by the public in the profitable business of growing trees for shelter, profit and domestic use.

SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS. The report favourably comments on the fact that during the year 272,351 acres of-highly commercial Crown landshave been dedicated as provisional State forest, and it expresses gratification at the substantial increase in the establishment of plantations, shelter belts, etc., by many branches of the community. Over -i.000.0f10 trees and oyer -1001 b of t’-ee seeds were disposed of to private planters during the year. Altogether, 1:> the service and privately, ten million trees, or 10,000 acres were planted dining the year. State plantations of 12,000 acres are estimated to lie worth £'2.000.000. The revenue for th t . year was £31.000, the largest since 15)12. This sale revenue, 263 per cent higher than in 1920, is attributed to the introduction of a progressive sales policy, increased exploitation and closer control over royalties. It is honed that the creation of fire districts this year and improvement of the technique of detection and suppression will ensure continuation of the splendid work of fire prevention. During the year 50 per cent of the forest inventory was completed, while in operation with Auckland University College it was possible to begin a tcchnicological testing programme of important indigenous timber trees. This branch of research is deemed most important for New Zealand, as the annual timber wastage bill amounts to eight iniilion tons. “The inventory,” continues the report, “lias revealed the existence of large masses of merchantaide timber bodies in out-of-the-way corners. ‘Pie work is bringing to light the intimate relation between agricultural .settlement, water conservation and stream flow. In the Rotorua region it has been found that 95 per cent of the forest land is unfitted for settlement, and a very large proportion of forest lands may be regarded as absolutely necessary for soil protective purposes. Successful settlement on the Mamaku plateau and in the AVrieoeku watershed has been found impossible. Tile Urewera Country land is the guard and protector over the fertility of the rich Rangitaiki land, and is the last stronghold, source of life and heart of the North Island forests. It should he conserved and managed in perpetuity as a great timber producing centre.

The total receipts of tlio service £30.836, 'veie £11.130 more than in the previous year, while the expenditure "totalled £107,582. ns against £79,551 in the previous year. FUTURE SUPPLIES.

i The rapid exhaustion of standing timber is stnU’Hgiy shown. In five years •it is estimated that at least thirty ■ sawmills in the King Country will have ■ to permanently close, and that within , fifteen years the Main Trunk-Ohakunc district will have eeased to provide for * more than hx*al timber supplies. The : centre of timber production is moving to Westland, and the year is notei worthy for the marked increased potential milling capacity in that district. Jt now trials 100,000,000 superficial feet annually. Westland and South-

land. it is predicted, will shortly be nnle to provide for general national needs.

Sand dune reclamation is also dealt with in the report. An experiment station is being established at the month of the Rangitikei River, and as a result of tire work the service hopes to define the procedure of construction cost and method of bringing into national production at least 30,000 acres of valueless land. EXPORT TRADE.

Dealing with the timber trade the report states that the flooding of Australian markets with Baltic, Canadian and American Pacific Const timbers caused considerable slackening in the demand for rimu and white pine, hut the superiority of New Zealand woods, which is proved every day, will, it is anticipated with the preferential tariff, cause the Australian market to return to normal. The average value of all sawn timber exported to Australia increased by Is per 100 super feet over the previous year. As to the future many opportunities exist for specialised itse of many local timbers and with proper development of economic research work it should be possible, says the report, to reduce imports by at least 80 per cent, thus effecting a saving to the community of a quarter of a million.