WASTE LAND BOARD.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 244, 7 November 1873, Page 6

WASTE LAND BOARD.

The usual meeting of the Board was held last week, the following members being present:—The Chief Commissioner (in the Messrs Bastings, Butterworth, Clark, John Reid, and Strode, * Messrs. "Gillies and Street, on behalf of Borton and M'Master, applied for leave to withdraw application for a pre-emptive right near Maerewhenua, and to apply for the same area in another part of their run. The application was agreed to, three months being given in order to enable the parties to apply for another site for the exercise of their pre-emptive right; The following letter was forwarded by the Provincial Gfovernmcnt for the consideration of the Board:—

* Colonial Secretary's Office, " Wellington, October 15, 1873. "Hia Honor the Superintedent of Otago. " Sir,—l: have the honor to inform you that the following report was brought up by the Committee on Colonial Industries and adopted by the 'House of Representatives during the recent session of Parliament, vi?. -:

"That the Government should invite the various Provincial Governments to •consider how best to prevent the waste-ful-destruction ..of. the forests of the Colony and to supply'statistics and.recommendations for the consideration of Parliament, f I should, therefore, feel obliged if your Honor would be good enough to furnish me with suggestions and recommendations with regard to the Province of Otago, in order that a report may be compiled for presentation to Parliament next session. —I have, &c, "Daniel Pollen** "Colonial Secretary." Mr. Strode was of opinion that the only, way to save the bush from wasteful destruction was to sell the land as speedily as possible, Mr. Clark thought it was evident that the plan adopted some time ago of leasing the bush upon the condition that-the parties should plant the land with forest trees as they cut down the timber, had failed completely. Mr. Bastings said the reason was because the land had not been taken up for the purpose stated.

The Chief Commissioner was of opinion that, to save the forests, one of the most rigorous systems possible, would be.; required—one that no Colonial Government could carry out. ■Mr. Clark thought the Waste Land Board had acted wrongly in granting so many saw-mill licenses. There were small patches of bush all over the country that would be of great value to the settlers ; but they were now being completely cut down and destroyed for the public -works that were being carried out. He would be inclined to suggest that, the Government should offer a prise for the best pamphlet on the subject. The Chief Commissioner thought that if such a prize were offered they would be flooded with useless projects of all kinds. They must not ignore the fact that hy planting they could grow a blue gum. fifty feet high in ten years. He thqught the new system adopted, by the Government of giving £4> for every acre of private land planted with forest trees, would prove very beneficial. £lO an acre [would not be too much, I Mr. Strode said it was terrible to wit* ness the destruction of the forests going on at.present. Wherever the saw-milk had been at Work, the ground Was covered with the decaying tops of trees, while all the good timber had disappeared. sfr. Clark instanced several bushes that might supply the surrounding districts for twenty-five years, but wherever the j saw?mills, set to work there was not a good,| tree left standing.—' Star." 1