Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4155, 15 July 1874, Page 2

Last night Mr. Vogel laid before Parliament the Government measure for "the establishment of State Forests, and for the application of the revenue derivable therefrom," indicated in His Excellency's late speech to Parliament. The Premier spoke for two hours and a quarter, and it may be recorded as a compliment to tho head of the Government, flt once for the manner in which he put before the House a subject which he regards as "the question of questions" of tho day, and for the skill with which the Bill has been prepared to work out its objects, ihat it passed the second reading without dissent. Hansard will record at greater length than we are able to do the olaborato speech with which Mr. Vogel introduced the Bill; and tho abundant testimony which he brought forward, from official sources, to show the importance of preserving the forests of a country, for the sake of their influence on the climate and rainfall, tho- vegetation, the flora, the natural beauty of the country, and the health of the people. On that part of the subject wo shall riot dwell at present. The moasuro before the Assembly deals with tho whole subject. The preamble sets out that' 'it is expedient to make provision for preserving the soil and climato by tree-planting, for providingtimberforfuture industrial purposes and for subjecting some portion of the Native forests to skilled management and proper control." It also declares that "it is expedient that the revenues derivable from such forests should be specially dedicated to tho meeting and discharging so much of the public debt of the Colony as may from time to time becomo due on account of the public debt now existing, or any additions thereto hereafter contracted up to tho end of the year 1904." The Act is to be known as "The New Zealand Forests Act, 1874." In it tho expression "waste lands of tho Crown" are to bo held to include lands purchased under the provisions of the Immigration and Public Works Acts 1870 and 1873 ; and "Colonial railways" are to mean railways constructed or purchased by the Governor, under the provisions of " The Immigration and Public Works Act, 1870," and other Acts amending the same, and any Other Act authorising tho Governor to construct or purchase any railway or railways, excepting coal-fields railways, the railways enumerated in tho third part of tho second schedule of "The Railways Act, 1872," and such othor railways as may hereafter be expressly accepted. Clauso three provides that an annual sum of £IO,OOO, for ten years, is to bo paid quarterly out of tho Consolidated Fund to a special fund/to bo kept by the Colonial Treasurer, to be called "The Stato Forests Account." .The first amount of £2500 is to be paid into that account on tho first day of 1875, and a like sum on tho first day of April,

July, and October, in each year. These payments are not to be regarded as being made from revenue arising from tho forests, but all receipts from the forests are to be paid into the special account. The money thus voted may be expended in and about the management of the forests, including planting, the construction of roads and bridges intended to afford access to the forests, rents for land acquired for forest purposes otherwise than by selection under the Act, the purchase of lands for State forests, the education of employe's in their management, the establishment of schools and Colleges for teaching forestry, the formation of nurseries for trees, and for other purposes of the Act. It is not contemplated that returns will be obtained for a few years to come ; but the Act goes on to provide that after the 31st of December, 1880, any excess of receipts over expenditure should be applied in repayment to the Consolidated Fund of the moneys advanced from the Immigration and Public Works Loan Fund to the Forest Account. The Premier is sanguine as to the profits which the forests of the country, properly managed, will return ; and the Bill, therefore, goes on to provide that after the last day of December, 1904, the excess of receipts over expenditure should be paid into the Consolidated Revenue to aid in the extinction of the debts contracted for Colonial railways, and in reduction of the public debts contracted up to the end of that year. One of the responsible Ministers of the Crown is to be known as '' the Commissioner of State Forests." A conservator is to be appointed by the Governor, the limit of engagement to be four years, the salary to be subject to the annual vote of tho General Assembly ; and he is to have two assistants, whose engagements shall not extend over three years, with salaries not exceeding £4OO each. After that period the salaries will be subject to increase or reduction ns Parliament shall decide. During the first five years, the Commissioner will have power to select waste lands within eacli Province, in one or more blocks, to form State Forests ; these lands to be in one or more blocks, but the area not to exceed three acres for every hundred acres of total area of Crown or private land within such Province. The Act then goes on to direct what lands the Commissioner shall select, and provide for the cancellation of pastoral leases ; to provide that if the Superintendent of any Province is dissatisfied with ■ the selection made, he may demand an arbitration, which shall be directed by the Supreme Court. Clauses 9to 15 provide for proceedings in connection with such an arbitration ; and clauses 16 and 17 determine what may be done upon the results of such awards. Clause 18 directs that the North Island shall be exceptionally treated as regards the period of selection, that the difficulty of arranging with the Native owners may not interfere with the selection of the most fit lands for Native forests. The clauses which follow provide for the maintenance of roads, and also of schools, within or adjacent to lands reserved as State Forests ; for the proclamation of towns within State Forests ; and for the investment of surplus revenues. Clause 23 relieves the Provinces after the passing of the Act, as against the Colony, of all payments' of sinking fund, or repayments of principal on account of the sums charged to them for railway construction, under "The Immigration and Public Works Act, 1870," and the Amending Acts; and for interest after December 31,1904, or an earlier date, on all loan liabilities as regards railways to be thereafter Colonial liabilities. Power is given to the Governor-in-Council to frame all the necessary by-laws for the carrying out of the provisions of the Act, the imposition of penalties, &c. The three last clauses — 27, 28, and 29—provide powers for the conservator and his officers to protect the forests under their charge, tho imposition of penalties for breach of the forest laws, and the recovery of penalties. These are the provisions of the first Act introduced for the protection of the forests of New Zealand. The subject has not been overlooked in times past ; but Mr. Vogel has been the first to perceive the necessity, to its full extent, of State interference in this important matter. The Bill, we have but little doubt, will pass into law in due course ; and if the conservation of the forests is placed in vigorous hands, there can be no doubt that the best results of forest management in tho old countries of Europe will be more than realised here, while New Zealand will be saved from the prejudicial effects of the waste of her forest wealth which has been experienced in those lands to which special reference was made by Mr. Vogel yesterday.