PRESERVATION OF FORESTS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 659, 11 October 1933, Page 6

PRESERVATION OF FORESTS

Sir, — If through some catastrophe the white man was swept from New Zealand, he might boast that he had dug so many millions of gold' out of the ground, most of which, owing to a bad money system, went into the pockets of aliens. He had sold, given and destroyed trees which God had planted in twenty thousand years. Lastly he had introduced animals, which had wiped out much of the fauna, and which would eventually destroy all the loveliest flora and leave a new New Zealand with a new balance of nature, so completely altered that, this our generation, would hardly recognise their own country. The only deer introduced in New Zealand which are not disastrous are the moose. Foolishly we brought what was most easily obtainable, forgetting that there are innumerable species in various parts of the world, some suitable to both climate and bush. Added to this blind speculation we have the selfishness of ignorant men who have cut and burn'ed regardless of every consideration except immediate gain. Literally this has amounted to Esau's selling of his birthright for a mess of pottage, which- is a crime. If this, as criticism, is severe on my fellow New Zealanders, I will ease it by saying that almost all races of men have been guilty of this folly, and now in many countries they are striving to repair the damage in Pyrenees, Apennines and Tyrol. There is no doubt that Central Asia has gone to desert largely through destruction of forest, and a recent traveller from China has said that the floods in China were largely due to the destruction of forests hundreds of years ago. The matter is so important that it should be taken out of the hands of Parliament and be dealt with by a metropolitan board. _ . We must seriously consider the mjury that will be done to this beautiful country if we do not take a stand and insist on bush preservation. What will be left us but a barren country with its climate altered to our detriment, and even with our farms mjured, if we cut the Urewera, the Mangamuka Gorge, and now the Omahuta bush. On inquiry I find that Elsdon Best, who lived several years with the Maoris in the Urewera said, "there was no quantity of suitable land for farming in that district. The Urewera district consists of high and steep ranges with narrow valleys between, and if the bush was cut m this district, farms would be unprofitable and serious erosion would take place, which would cause the raising of river beds of the lowlands and serious injury to the lowland farms. Mr. E. Phillips Turner who has had fifty years' experience of New Zealand forests, is most strongly of opinion that the forest round Waikaremoana and in the vicinity of the roacl from Rotorua, should be strictly preserved, not only because of its exceptional scenic value, but because its destruction will bring about serious erosion and damage to the lowlands of the Bay of Plenty. Anyone who says we must consider the^ private property of individuals, will kmdly bear in mind that to do good to his own property and put money into his own pocket, is of . no economic value when he seriously damages other property. , , It cannot be urged too often that all watersheds must be kept in forests for the benefit of the climate and for the benefit of the greatest acreage of good farm land. — I am, etc. RUBY E. WATS'ON. Auckland, October 6, 1933.