A LECTURE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10610, 8 June 1920, Page 6

A LECTURE

FACTS ABOUT FORESTRY SIB D. HUTCHEN’S VIEWS A lecture on practical forestry was given under tho auspices of the Workers Educational Association in the Trades Hall on Saturday night. The lecturer. Sir David Hutehen, showed the attention that was being given to forestry in other lands. New Zealand was only now beginning to give scientific attention to its forest- In tho past it had been the rule to destroy the forest in taking out ono crop of trees. Now tho Dominion had remaining of its very fine forests only 101 million acres, much of it very poor in quality. According to European standards, at least cue quarter of tho country, or about IS million acres, should bo under permanent forests. ’i ho proportion should bo larger in a mountainous country, whore trees were easily the most valuable crop that could be grown ou poor land. The Government was making a move now, and was reserving some of tho remaining forest to bo worked on scientific lines. Tho demarcation of existing native forests, particularly on poor and mountainous laud, was tho only practicable method.of placing forestry - on a sound footing, since tho cost of reafforestation on a large scale Fas absolutely prohibitive. It would cost J 2800,000,000 to replace the native forest with planted forest on an adequate scale in New Zealand, and in any case tho native trees of the Dominion were quicker growing under forest conditions than the imported trees -under forest conditions. The average value per acre of the New Zealand forest was more than double the value of American forest. Practical forestry was based on the development and improvement of hative forest, and it was in these linos that New Zealand should proceed. The introduction of valuable frees from other countries, such as tho Californian redwood, y nas desirable, and would be a part of the forestry seheirie. Such hoes, could be introduced into tho native forest as development proceeded. Scientific forestry would be a factor in the reduction of the cost of living- Timber would remain the most generally satisfactory , material for house-building, and tho use of a zinc bath for the timber before construction would minimise tho danger of decay or borer. Good forestry would provide an abundant and secure supply of wood for fuel as well as timber. Work in tho forests provided employment under ideal health conditions. New Zealand had now to choose whether the old bad practice of destroying the forest after cutting the milling tiecs was to continue or a new system of cutting mature trees and leaving young trees to grow to maturity was to be instituted. Under the old system timber worth many pounds to future generations was destroyed for the sake of timber worth a few pence to tho present generation.