FORESTRY DELEGATES

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1928, Page 2

FORESTRY DELEGATES

MUCH IMPRESSED

WELLINGTON, Oct. 15

The fifty or so delegates, who are touring New Zealand in connection with the Empire • l<“t>restry, Conference, arrived baq.k m VVellingtin yesterday morning from their South Island tour, .caving again by s.ecial train in the evening far Tongatyro National Park. All were much impressed with what they saw in the lim.tcd time at their disposal. Regrets are being expressed that their stay in the Dominion is limited to 13 days.

The train journey from Christchurch to Dunedin gave most ot the -delegates their first taste of New Zealand scenery;- the beauty of winch particularly-'. pleased, them.. Besides Canterbury: and Otago they visited the West Coast and Nelson, Whilst all tlie’delegates were interested in .seeing the Dominion’s indigenous forests, many were equally interested at seeing the establishment of exotics. They realised that, owing to the slow growth or the native trees, and to the rapid growth of the undergrowth re-affore-'station with native trees was not as good a proposition as the .planting ot exotics. “Exotics in New Zealand,” said one delegate yesterday, “seem to thrive remarkably well,, as some have been planted, I understand well over half a century. They have been ’here long enough to he thoroughly tested. There is always a danger, when planting exotics in a new country, that some serious pest, will develop in the absence that pest’s natural enemy, but you in New Zealand seemed to • have escaped pretty well. Your entomologists, I know, are always ready •with instant - remedial measures, but as yet you have pot bad to spray with arsenical powders from aeroplanes, such as we have had to do in Canada. Your exotic gum trees, I gather, have been rather badly, attacked in places, although this lias been checked hv the introduction of the ladybird, the gum tree scale’s natural foe. But they, I understand are not planted by the Government. Your many valuable soft wood trees seem to be remarkaby free from disease.”

The general consensus of opinion amongst the delegates was that where jpvacticable, reafforestation with indigenous trees was to be commended, hut that with exotics, New Zealand had made wonderful progress, although there was still much more room for experiment.

Yesterday evening, at 8.30 a special ‘train took the delegates north,- their first visit in the North Island being to the Tongariro National Park, which was ..reached tliis morning. Taupo and Rotorua are the next places of call, the extensive plantations in the neighbourhood of the latter holding special interest for the visitors. During the two days spent at Rotorua itself the conference will resume its sittings. From Rotorua the delegates go on to Auckland, finishing their 2000-mile tour of the Dominion’s forests by visiting the famous kauri forests “which are world famous in the eyes of botanists and foresters alike,” remarked one delegate, “and without a visit to which our tour would be incomplete, the plum being kept until the last.” “We, all of us had heard much about New Zealand,” remarked another delegate, prior to the departure of the train, “and one or two of ns are renewing an old acquaintance, notably Lord Clinton,.- our chairman, and not one of us is disappointed. Much as we liked Australia, we like New Zealand even’ better, only-don’t broadcast that across the Tasman as they might not like it on the other side. Some ot us arq seriously thinking of malcng New Zealand our home when the time comes for retirement, and when the conference-breaks up a few have made up their minds to stay in the country, a hit longer in order to see more of the scenery, and to en : oy some of vour wonderful fishing. Ours is a business trip and not a sight-seeing tour. So much of what we would like to have seen has been omitted. Two thousand ; miles in 13 days is what you might call a bit hurried not leaving much time for enjoyment, although, as a matter of fact, we have enjoyed every minute of our stav.”