The Manawatu Standard [PUDLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1885. FOREST CONSERVATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1577, 9 December 1885, Page 2

Manawatu Standard [PUDLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1885. FOREST CONSERVATION.

It is very gratifying to observe that steps of a .practical character are now being taken with the object m view of more efficiently conserving and renewing our forests. Speaking at Dunedin last month the Premier, m reference to the Forests Act, said, " Would you believe that we exported from New Zealand last year, independently of Ings, no les than 24,000,000 ft of timber. And we have to look at this : we have not only got our timber lands going from us, but we are also having our forests destroyed, and if they are destroyed it will aftect the whole timber industry of the colony. Therefore* it was our duty to introduce the Forests Bill to try and get the forests improved and preserved, and get tree-planting better encouraged ; and I believe that Act will be of paramount advantage.'* " The New Zealand State Forests Act, 1885,' 1 makes special provision for the reservation of State Forests m New Zealand and the management thereof. By proclamation m the Gazette the Go-vernor-in- Council may set apart any forest lands among Crown areas for State forests. Power is also given to appoint a Commissioner, who will be authorised to borrow up to £] 0,000 fi'V the purposes of the Act, and =£2000 was appropriated by Parliament for preliminary expenses Mr Ballance has been appointed Commissioner, and as we know he is an enthusiast on the subject of forest conservation, his duties will be discharged m no perfunctory manner. A School of Forestry has already been established at Whangarei. Professor Kihk, who has lately reported on the rapid extinction of the kauri forests m the north, has been appointed Conservator of Forests. We may hope, therefore, that m course of time practical steps will be taken to prevent the wholesale destruction of forest now going on, which threatens ultimately to exercise a very disastrous effect on the sanitary condition of the country. Timber is one of our most valuable resources, with which Nature .has most liberally endowed us; but through the lack of all systematic conservation, the wanton destruction has been incalculable. Planting must be had recourse to, as m Norway and Sweden, so as to have trees growing to take the place of those behvjf removed by fire or the axe of the settler or bushman. It is much to be deplored that Sir Julius Vogki/s efforts at forest conservation, inaugurated a number of years ago, when Captain Camp-bell-Walker submitted a report on the subject, were allowed to lapse. It is net yet too late, however, if operations are carried out with energy, system, and a due regard to the present and future responsibilities involved.