TIMBER PROSPECTS

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1927, Page 2

TIMBER PROSPECTS

WELLIGTON, October 14. “I don’t think there in any neces--' sity to bo unduly alarmed at the prospect of a. world-wide timber famine so far as New Zealand is concerned. With the carrying out of a proper and eamprehonsive afforestation programme, New Zealand will not only be assured of soft wood supplies for her own use for all time, but can easily become probably one of the greatest soft wood producing countries in the world. These views were expressed by Mr. A. J. Seed, secretary of the Dominion Federated Sawmillers’ Association. It was well known, said Mr Seed, that y soft woods grow in New Zealand at A- . a very much greater rate than probably in any other part of the world. The period required to mature a timber crop of soft woods, such as pinus insignis, Douglas fir, redwood, and many other useful exotic species,, was from say, thirty to forty years, whereas in Europe the time required was from 80 to 120 years, and on the Pacific coast of the Uuited States of America and Columbia 50 to 80 years. “Reverting to what we call the timber famine bogey in other lands,” said Mr Seed, “it is interesting to quote the following statement published in the ‘West Coast Lumberman’ last year:—‘There is no danger of the supply of the Douglas fir and western / hemlock ever becoming exhausted. It has been pointed out repeatedly that the States of Washington and Oregon and the province of British Columbia can all produce as much lumber as they are producing to-day indefinitely provided fires are kept out of the growing young forests. By the time the present stands are exhausted the cut-over lands which have not been utilised in the meantime for agricultural purposes will have on them stands of timber equal in volume, if not greater, than are now being cut in some por- , tions of the north-west.’ ”