The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays.) SATURDAY, MAY 4, 1878.

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 318, 4 May 1878, Page 2

The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays.) SATURDAY, MAY 4, 1878.

As a likely means of obtaining information in regard to New Zealand timbers/ Captain Campbell Walker, in making his tour of inspection, preparatory to submitting proposals for the organization arid working of the proposed State Forest Department, wrote to the several • Commissioners of Waste Lands throughout the Colony, enclosing a series of questions, replies to which were desired. The majority of the replies were of little practical use. One notable exception was the report furnished by Mr 0. D.

Whitcombc, of Taranaki, which “ formed a most useful guide, and saved muc*h trouble and loss of time in useless inspections o;' private forests/’ The report furnished by Mr Whitcombc, stated that the land in Taranaki was all forest, with exception of a belt of open land from the sea coast, of an average of four miles inland, 2/17,000 acres of which was (Government laud, and BOUSOOO acres confiscated land. The report was tarnished in July, 187 C. Bimn was mentioned as abounding in large quantities, in some parts from 20 to 30 trees to the acre; white and black pine rnuen scarcer; totara in soul er quantities ; purii'i, matai, htnan, and other woods in limited quantities. Forest was reported as not worked with any,system, and was being rapidly destroyed. -To the question of what is the situation and extent of tracts of lands in the hand of Government, or readily obtainable for planting operations? .Mr Whitcombereplied, that there.was a large area along the coast,, and suggested, the advisability of planting- the sand hills to prevent further inroads being made by it. Captain Walker, appears \ by tho report ’furnished, to have fairly inspected the northern portion of the- province, after which he travelled by way of the Mountain Hoad to Hawera, whence he proceeded to Wanganui by. coach, and so pass id through Patea without opportunity for inquiry or inspection. Captain‘Walker says, “The. chief timber trees of the Taranaki Province may be said to be the rod pine and rewa-vewa or honeysuckle—the puriri, which formerly existed in some quantity within ton or twelve miles of the coast, being unfortunately almost .worked out.” lie; suggested that a, belt of forest extending over twenty miles round Mount Egmoiit, should bo reserved. Ho says, “ i think every means should bo adopted in this province, to reproduce and foster the growth of puriri, and preserve the honeysuckle, which will ere long, have a high commercial value ns a furniture wood. , The soil, especially along the coastline, is . generally good, and very suitable for the growth of the eucalypti and pines, consisting of vegetable deposits' vesting on a substratum of tertiary clay, with sand here and there.” In urging the advisability of immediate action, being taken by Government to introduce systematic managom-ut of forests, Captain Walker says—“'Every year the difficulties and obstacles in the way will be greater; vested rights will have sprung np ; the wants of a large population Tor an immediate supply of timber will be paramount; and whereas, the object can now, I am confident, be attained at little or no cost, and a property of great indirect value in the present, and capable of producing a large, and over-increasing public revenue in the future, be secured to the colony, a hundred years hence it would probably cost thousands, if not mnnous, to attain anything approaching- those results. Ask France what she would give to undo the devastations of the past fifty years, made primarily in the supposed interests of the graziers and agricultural classes. Ask Austria, what she would give to get back the public 'forests, sold to meet the exegoncies of the day. Ask Victoria and other Australasian Colonies, and India, what it will cost them to remedy the devastations of the past. • Ask even England, with exceptional advantages and circumstances, in the shape of extensive planting by large landed propraetors, the command of the markets of the world, a small, densely populated country' iii which every acre cultivated with food grains is a boon, whether she would not have done better to conserve her public 'forests, and place restrictions on the growth of commonage rights, which, "so far as the public are concerned, mean private advantages acquired to the detriment of the interests of the public at largo. The universal answer would, I feel sure, be, / Be wise in time, and secure the advantages' ■which you now possess in your own interests,' and those-of your posterity.’” Palestine, known of old as a land flowing with milk and honey, now almost an arid waste, may bo cited as an instance of the evil results of reckless destruction of forests and works constructed for irrigation purposes. Captain Walker, in a paper read at Dunedin, as to the influence of forests oiv rainfall, springs, or streams of water, and the humidity of the atmosphere' generally, says not only prevent excessive evaporation, but by their presence and action, render the flow of water more regular and permanent, thus -preventing disastrous floods and torrents during the winter or rainy season, and long droughts in summer. Their removal from mountain tops and hill sides cannot but bo regarded as an evil, often followed by most disastrous results. So much so has this been found to be the case in France, that they are now engaged in the gigantic work of replanting theslopes of the Alps and Pyrenees, which had been cleared in former years for grazing. . Asia Minor may be quoted ns a country which, in the era when it was covered with forests, was richlycultivated, and supported, easily, a high rate. of population, but which at the present day, owing, to the destruction of the forests, has become so arid that the crops fail to come to. maturity, and thousands of human beings are now perishing from hunger and want,” Wo think sufficient has been stated to show the vast importance to settlers on this coast of tree planting near the sea and of systematic working of forests inland. The rapidity with -which forest land is now likely to be taken up and cleared, will result in the open laud near the

sea becoming less fertile for want of the moisture previously supplied and regulated in the streams by the bush lands. As tiro bush is chaired the sand encroaches. The whole coast line furnishes abundant proof of that —the •open' land near the sea is less fertile since the bus!) inland has been cleared. It behoves sea-coast settlers to taka.name-, diate steps to protect themselves, and that can be best doue by extensive tree, planting. It is a pity but Captain. Waikc" could have found time for at any . rate a short stay at Patea. ■ ■ {Sufficient; - however, may be gathered from the report to guide settlers who are convinced-of-the importance of action as to what to plant. The puriri aud honeysuckle arc mentioned' as worthy of attention in- Taranaki., The soil of the. coast is very suitable for gums and pines. “ The blue gum is certainly the tree .to grow for the speedy supply of timber and money return.” In recommending sites for the commencement of-planting operations, Captain Walker says, “ The reclamation- of the sandy wastes on both coasts of the North-and east, coast, of the, South jLslauct, also demands ■:attention,. not only because they can thus bo utilized and improved, but the destruction of valuable property farther inland arrested.

. On the sen ly tracks on the seaboard our first cffoits would bp directed to binding the soil, at;d providing- shelter for the young tre'es by the growth of scandeut shrubs, brooms, and grasses suitable for the purpose.” • ■ As the planting season .is now at band we trust that some heed will be taken to the warning and advice of Captain Campbell Walker. Some settlors on the, open land are setting good examples by every year planting a few acres of gums or other suitable trees. We should like to see more of it. We should, also like to see the authorities-in each of the small townships initiate a regular system of tree planting. Each year a small enclosure might be made and trees planted at very small cost.