SAVE THE TIMBER.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 148, 2 September 1926, Page 1

SAVE THE TIMBER.

THE FORESTRY FIRE RISK. It is of great importance that the ri-sk of fire in timber plantations should he fully recognised. The areas •that constitute the State forests in the Dominion esc'aped lightly last yearsince, according to the annual report of the department, the losses by fire represented -a value of only £S7. It is recorded, however, that other plantations suffered the lolso of 1016 acres of naturalised tree's, and it is significantly added that this was principally due to inadequate supervision and indifferent protection. In the United States, where the national forest areas are o:f vast extent and, privately-owned areas of even a larger acreage are being devoted to forestry, the gravity of the fire hazard is so fully appreciated that a public interest in fire ■protection of the fore’s'tiS' is realised. It is estimated that 'the annual cost of adequate protection in the United States would amount to about 10 million dollars. The Forest Service, which administers the law, has advanced the general principle that ultimately the cost of protection should be borne half and half by private owners and the public, the laiJter half being shared equally between the ’State and local ! and the (national Governments. In 1922 about 14 per cent, of the total co/res't area, including the 95 million acies of national and, state forests, wa® receiving some degree of protection. Of 'the priv&teLy-O'wned areas some 160 million acres were receiving ' protection while at least 166 million acres were receiving no pro'U whatever, although it is essential continued growth, and over many o.' er areas the protection was very inr. e-

juate. There has been progress si: ze I then, says the Commerce Monthly fr-m which our figures are taken, but the j figures indicate the extent to the pr*o- | oTem The occurrence of devas/tating I ritrets in forest areas, o.f the character reported in recent cable messages, fur- j Cher illustrates the serious impoi„| ance of providing -adequate protection. | It is not suggested that the policy that J is adopted in the United States, under which the public shares the cost of fire protection of all 'forest areas', is one that should be applied in New Zealand. But Osays ithe Otago Daily Times) the need for insistence on protection against the risk of fire is one which all experience shows to be gireat and growing. No't only is it highly desirable) that i't should be recognised in the case r of the State forests, hut it should he recognised also in the case of 'the areas that are controlled by afforestation companies in which considerable sums of money have been, and ! are being, invested. An important public service is likely 'to be rendered by these companies if their operations are conducted with wise foresight. The value of it mudt, however, depend in large measure- upon the sufficiency of i the provision that is made by them for the protection of their plantations against the risk of -destruction by fire, and it would be in the interelst both of their shareholders and bondholders and of the public if the Government were <t'o exercise so much supervision of their operations as to ensure that there would be no neglect on their part of precautions against -the fire hazard.