FORESTS AND FORESTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 6 November 1923, Page 2

FORESTS AND FORESTRY

FURTHER NOTES ON THE DIRECTOR’S REPORT. NO NVII. “As soars the hawk, that downward beats the air Which gave him life. Nay! more, lie spurns the sinking earth, Assured that "neat!. Ins wings all else descends. And he alone remains unmoved." - Pitcher." Chapter V. of the Forest Report deals with General Matters, such as tables and graphs of quantities < f timber produced, imported, and exported. These figures are of course merely a recital of those compiled by the Government Statistician; hut they make an imposing array. Some of the original comments made by the Service arc worthy of note, not- because tUey bear any relation to the legitimate work of the Service—either achieved or contemplated—hut as shewing the irrelevant manner in which subjects. remotely connected with forestry, are imported into this report and dealt with. For instance, we are told that “ol al industries engaged in the development and exploitation of natural resources. the timber industry is one ol the few whose company shares as publicly quoted on tlie Stock Exchange have shown a constant appreciation since 19M.” It is difficult to glean wliat is intended to lit l conveyed by this statement—even accepting it as being supported by fact. AY hat are the facts!- The timber companies whose shares are “publicly quoted on the Stock Exchange” can be counted on the lingers of one hand: and they are not responsible lor 10 per cent, of the Timber Industry’s activities. So that if the Service is seeking some reflected glory by claiming that the industry receiving shelter iriiin tnc wings of the Forest Department is consequently “one of the few whose shares have shown a constant appreciation since 1914." such claim is based on so narrow a foundation as to be worthless. In fact the general knowledge oi the conditions under which the industry is carried on. is convincingly that “Of ah industries engaged in the development and ex ploitation of natural resources.” those industries are most fortunate who have no such Service to spread its wings over them —hat-like wings that over-shadow and beat down all beneath them. This is a point frequently stressed in the columns of this paper. In the matter of imports the report claims that “The most interesting imiKM'tation of the year was that of approximately 1.000.000 super ft. of hemlock shocks from Canada for the manufacture of huttcr-boxes." Me tail to see that it should Ik l invested with such interest. seeing that in any case it represents only about 3 p?r cent, ol the total timber imported into the Dominion. The filet- that it came from Canada, doubtless gives it an added interest —for tho Director hails also Iran the land of the .Maple Leal. Respecting .Markets and Prices, it is oral it \ ing to learn that ‘ llieie lots been a market decrease in the cost “I production during the past yeai'._ l>ut it does not appear "here the Iservn-e gets authority for the statement that Midi decreu.-e is “mainly accounted lor in labour values and cificKMiey. Amtinst this we are told “there has been some slight alteration m the sell-ing-price of the product of the log in sawn timber”: and, that m the ease ot the West Coast, the average price f.,,.1). lias fallen “s per lUOft. Ni the Coast is doing its duty when it is not bein' 1 ’ pursued too rigorously by the Forest Service, the methods ot which tend so positively to increase rather than decrease costs of production wit., its regulations and eonipet.tl it c- am rising royalties.