EMPIRE TIMBER.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 May 1923, Page 4

EMPIRE TIMBER.

or li V AST RE'sUUIU'F.S. TIRE I’lll N't E OF WARES AND El TUBE SHORTAGE. EON'RON. March 3. The I’rinee of Wales, presiding .at the first annual meeting ot the I’.rn- - 1 Ei-ie-lrv A--'iciatiou. held at the | .on,lm: Cuildhnl! yesterday afternoon -i Pace bad in the last title.veers unri,ailed opu-n Utilities of realb;:,a- the east timber resources of our Mr. u .... i Rave had the good fori title 1., i i-• i 1 11 ; 11 !>:-r camps tn Canada and .'. isti alia., The asset iation deserves, and I trust it will have, the support <>; all those who recognise the impoif-au-o oi IVres 1 ry to the life of the mit if’.)• ■'Thera' is need for looking ahead in rt ■ ml to the sv-Jetn of planting find ! .v sciw ieg our timber resources."’ I . lmd been computed by experts, ~; . miinitial Hi? Prince, that the world within the next 20 years would bo iV.-ad with a i iniher shortage if not ail actual famine. Wo had to remember (he large devastated areas owing to the war. In Great Britain it had boon estimated that of the million acres devastated during the war not pet cent had boon replanted up to the proBeyond this area ii was estimated that in Groat Britain there were three million acres suitable for afforestation

ami for no other purpose. Moreover, the subject was opportune in view of finding a solution to the problem oi unemployment. The great voluntary o-ganisatioa should be effective in bringing home, not only to the people of this country, but also to all the other tmm tries of the Empire, the need for action ;rd the judicious encouragement of afforestation. The association could also render great imperial service by propaganda, and he trusted that the doctrine of afforestation would be prei,cued not only in London but throughout the provinces and especially in those districts where action might be taken. Great Britain could never he expected to grow all the timber it needed, and certain woods must be brought from warmer climates. Considering that by far the greater part of the timber' used is brought from abroad, tlit problem of operations for remedying this position was an alluring one. Another object of the association was to promote the use of some of the less known timbers it! the Empire, many of which were at present scarcely brown in commerce.

The interests of timber growers in the United Kingdom must not he overlotdted. because they could mulct valuable service in popularising the use of flic home-grown timber. From the imnerial point of view it was Imped the association would play an important part in organising the lorestrv section in the Empire Exhibition of 1024 at Wembley b_v establishing an Imnerial Forestry Bureau.