Manawatu Standar (PUBLISHED DAILY.) Suivant la verite. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1883. OUR TIMBER RESOURCES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 204, 4 August 1883, Page 2

Manawatu Standar (PUBLISHED DAILY.) Suivant la verite. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1883. OUR TIMBER RESOURCES.

m A very important debate took place m the Legislatiye Council on Wednesday, with reference to the duty of Government m regard to the conservation of forests, Mr Chambhrlin moved, 11 That, m |he t QpiniQn of this- Council, having regard for the future welfare of the colony, if is desirable that the Gorernment should take imttediate steps 0 largely morease the area of forest ands to beset apart as permanent relerves." The question, he would reaark, was one of such vital importance hat he trusted the motion would treet rith the approval of the Government, s i( was highly neceppary, more

especially m a new country, Umt the forests of the colony should be cons *ved. the Gove-ninent had exhibited a most unpardonable indifference upon the subject of forest preservation, and on this subject resembled Kero, who fiddled j while Borne burned. For the Bake o! tature generations, he hoped the Government would see the advisability of initiating a scheme for the preservation of forests. He advocated tha appointment of persons whose duty it would be to look after the deforesting of Govemn uient lands. Mr Barniooat, considering tbat the question was one of the utmost importance to the future of the colony, would support the motion. He suggested the appointment of a gentleman well versed m forestry, whose duty it would be to advise the Government upon ail matters appertaining to the {reservation ot State forests. Mr G. R. Johnson cousidered that the Government should at once take' the matter m hand. Th« area of forests was not large, and if these lands were deforested, the effects to the settlers would be very serious. The Caucasian Mountains had been actually depopulated, owing to the deforesting of these , mountains. In other parts of the world the effects of cutting down the timber had been most •iisaatrcus. In some parts of the world, whenever a tree was cut itown, the woodman was compelled to plant (wo trees m its stead, whilst m other places the crime ot falling a tree was punish- d by the loss of the woodman's right hand. The health of a country was al-:o affected by che denudation of forests. Mr Scotland pointed out that the decrease of forests was attributable to throwing tSera. open to cattle, which destroyed the trees quite as much as did the axs. Mr Williamson considered tbat some effort shou'd be made lo encourage the planting of new trees. He thought that great good would be occasioned by calling the attention of the Government to the subject. Mr Holmes believed that the subject was .one of the most vital importance to the colonists, His impression was that the destruction of the forests was proceeding bo fast that ere long there would be no timber lett to work up. He suggested that the Government should rigidly conserve the State forests. He would advocate a royalty payable on all timber cut, and the fees thus derived would warrant the employment of competent foreßteis to look after the preservation and cultivation of (State forests. Still, nothing appears to have come of | the debate, which is greatly to be regretted, as there can be no doubt that i unless a system of State foresc conservation is initiated before lone:, the consequences m the course of years wil 1 be nothing short of disastrous.