STATE AFFORESTATION

Hokitika Guardian, 19 September 1929, Page 3

STATE AFFORESTATION

57,406 ACRES ESTABLISHED

RELIEVING UNEMPLOYMENT,

The year 1928-1929 constituted A new record for State afforestation in,-. New Zealand and for the British Em; , pire. and one which may not be again reached in the Dominion, according to the annual report of the State Forest Service, presented to Parliament yesterday. -’in' The report explained that the record consisted in the establishment of •'w.Tflfi nc'-os of new plantations, an increase of 22,300 acres as compared with the previous year, or nearly treble the area planted during 192627. That abnormal increase was tide to the necessity for providing, employment fori those out of work during winter months, by way of an iii- : ' creased and accelerated planting programme involving the engagement of r approximately 13C0 labourers at the peak period. .W- ’ The total area administered ,by the' Forest Service was now 7,776,916; acres,'or approximately 12 per cent. 1 ' of the superficial area of the Domin-' ion, It was considered, however, thfit that should be substantially increased to ensure a reasonable margin of safety. , ‘ . V ‘ ;S

The trade depression through which; the milling industry had been pass-' ing was clearly reflected in the reduced timber sales for last year, iti-/ volving a further marked decrease in forest revenue. The re-establishment of that important primary industry was, however, slowly bu.t surely pro-, grossing, and thert were already signs of increased acceleration in that di- . rection. The sales of trees and seeds continue to decline slightly, but thfit' was not unexpected. The major operation of the -.forest products branch* was a thorough invest! creation of the wood-pulp arid . V paper, industry. The increased and.; varied operations of the service had created a very busy year, and had taxed all members of the stgff to their utmost capacity. ■ • .A.; THE FUTURE.

Future operations would to some extent be affected by the Government’s pronouncement that the 1 quesp , tion of forestry was to -be regarded as- ;■< fundamentally a land-use problem, • calling for full co-ordination between the Departments of Lands, lure and Forestry. In future, therefore, all unplanted afforestation areas would, be re-examined in conjunctibii with the officers of those Departments, particularly with respect' ;to soil nnalysis' and general suitability ■for .settlement purposes. Tn the pKsjb.- -- the main. planting activities .of I thejrp State'had been carried out upon the • Rotor iia-Taupo pumice lands, but..., those remaining areas would now Ibfe , governed by a policy of careful de'marcation and utilisation for rgricul,'tural purposes. Notwithstanding that fact, however, ample areas should still be available to justify the cbiltin,uation of planting in the pumloe ■. region, although probably on *a much smaller scale than heretofore. 1 _

THE PRIVATE COMPANIES. The total area acquired by private companies throughout th,e Dominion was approximately 213,200 acres, Of which 202,800 acres, or 94 per cent, ' was situated in the central . North Island pumice region, extendinjg V\ roughly from west of the RotoruaTaupo Road, southward t from Put a- . ruru to Lake Taupo. The policy of the Government with regard to fb© private enterprises was that it did not support nor grant a monopoly dr concession to any company beyond extending generally j departmental facilities or advice upon request,, and cooperation in demonstrating the utility and profitableness of tree ’ growing! It did not, however, undertake .io safeguard the interests of private investors, who must personally satisfy themselves with respect to the bc-pa •fides of any company in which they proposed to invest.