FOREST POLICY

Hokitika Guardian, 23 August 1928, Page 4

FOREST POLICY

LARGE AREAS QUICK LY PLANTED. WELLINGTON, August i;J. Answering requests of members that their districts should receive attention in afforestation, the'Minister in charge of the Forest Service, the Hon. O. J. Hawken, stated that on examining the v hole position lie found that forestry must he tackled m a businesslike way on comparatively large areas, uuiicli must he planted rapidly. Some of the old forests had cost far more lhan they were likely to return, and he IV-H that there had been considerable losses before the war because the work v.i.s not done in a businesslike way. The objective of the department was io plant a considerable area rapidly, and the'* leave it in charge of a fire guard. Rfct ntly 21,000 acres had been bought on the banks of the Wainiakanri at 30s per acre, and this came in well to provide an opportunity for the relief of Christchurch unemployed. This was the type of operation they preferred instead of a policy of planting a small area here and there. .Air Forbes: Have you done anything in North Canterbury? The Minister: There is ail extension, of area around Balmoral, and, of course, at ITannier. Balmoral had been planted over an area of 16,000 acres in five years, but at Hanmer, which had been under operation for twentysix or twenty-eight years, they bad only finished planting SOOO acres and there was no doubt that work carried out on these conditions could not bo payable. “ I am of opinion,” concluded Air Hawken, “that giving more than 30s per acre for afforestation land is inadvisable. Good land should certainly not be used.”