EMPIRE TIMBER

Hokitika Guardian, 20 August 1929, Page 8

EMPIRE TIMBER

! DRAIN ON CANADIAN SUPPLY

LONDON, June 20.

Speaking at the Royal Society’s city lunchein ,Sir Herbert Matthfivvs, formerly secretary of the,Central Chamber of Agriculture, said that the demands for putpwood and timber for collieries, railways, building construction, and. various other purposes, could not be met indefinitely from existing supplies. And all these demands were increasing.

,l A point {hat needs the strongest, possible emphasis,” said Sir Herbert, “is that while the Empire supply of hardwoods is probably sufficient for our future needs, the supply of softwoods is rapidly disappearing.” The enited States of America would be already drawing on Canadian supplies, and Europe was an importing Continent, mainly from Canada. Many of the forests in Europe were to all intents and purposes inaccessible, whilst the output from Sweden was regulated and restricted. Great Britain imported approximately half its timber requirements. New Zealand also depended on other parts of the world for a considerable portion of its timber and timber product requirements. The hap-hazard methods of exploiting our sources in the past had created a situation calling for urgent remedy.

REPLACEMENT OF TREE'S. Conservation of existing resources was an obvious first-aid remedy, and the establishment of schools for forest officers and recognised State forest services and commissions were doing an immense amount of good in this direction. Improved and more economical methods of exploitation were also obvious remedies. But these could only succeed in putting off the evil day. It ‘was in replacement that the solution to the problem must be founu. “Vigorous programmes of afforestation must be instituted,” said Sir Herbert. “In our dominions in the Southern Hemisphere, in Australia, in South Africa, in New Zealand, we have areas of otherwise waste lands w here suitable trees could be grown more advantageously than in many other parts of the world. In New Zealand a secession of wise -Governments have set a fine example. It has been proved by the State, after nearly 30 years of practical experiment, that suitable pine trees will grow in the Dominion more than twice as quickly as in the Northern Hemisphere, and will give prolific yields of timber to the acre. When commercial interests at home appreciate the grave danger of a world shortage of timber supplies, and realise the opportunity to provitle those supplies within.our Empire, then afforestation will be responsible for unlimited potential wealth and benefit to the Empire.”