FORESTS OF TARANAKI.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 79, 12 July 1910, Page 7

FORESTS OF TARANAKI.

AN INTERESTING REPORT. The forests of Taranaki are now insignificant compared with what .they were at one time, but nevertheless readers will probably be interested by the following description which forms part of the report on forestry issued by the Government:—

The gross area of the Taranaki district is 2,417,21)0 acres. The whole of the district, with the exception of a fringe of open country along the coast from Pukearuhe to Patea, averaging three miles in width, and containing about 250,000 acres, and some valleys at the north-eastern corner ot the district about 150,000 acres in extent, was originally covered with heavy forest, but this is rapidly disappearing under progress of settlement and erection of sawmills to deal with such timber.

The larger timber is chiefly rata, riniu, matai, tawa, kahikatea, kohekohe, pukatea, rewarewa, hinau, with a few totara scattered here and there. Among the smaller trees may be mentioned the kotukutuku (or fuchsia), karaka and mahoe.

An area of 72,505 acres, measuring six miles on every side from the summit of Mount Egmont, was originally set apart as a forest reserve. To this has now been added 1040 acres on the lower slopes of Pouakai Range, with an additional 5500 acres on the Patua Range, making a total of about 70,000 acres, which has now by Act of Parliament been' set apart as the "'Egmont National IPark." the internal affairs of which are administered by a partly elected and partly nominated Board of ten members. At about three miles within (he reserve the forest begins to get stunted; and at four and" a-half miles it gives place to a low, wiry scrub, which ceases at five miles, or an elevation of about 4000 ft. At oiMlOft. the moss ends; beyond this point to the summit the mountain is composed of loose scoria and lava. VARIETIES OF TIMBER TRICES, AND USES.

Matai.—A large forest, now destroyed, covered the south-west portion of the province. About 25,380,500 sup. ft. in district. Durable above ground. Used in buildings, fencing posts and strainers. Used at present for building-frames. Valhe, 19s per 100 sup. ft. Totara.—Scattered-over the province in small lots. About 35,942,000 sup. ft. in district. Very durable. Used for bridges, culverts, all sorts of buildings, house-blocks, fencing-posts, etc. At present used for all classes of buildings and works of a n-manent nature. The wood is brittle,. ;'nd short in grain. Value ,€1 per 100 sup. ft. This timber is exceedingly light, but durable, and can be used for nearly all classes of work of a permanent nature which requires no cross-strain. Kahikatea*— Found on damp and swampy locations throughout the province. About 98,893,750 sup. ft. in district. Not advisable to use in housebuilding, owing to prevalence of dry rot. First-class timber for manufacture oi butter-boxes. Now being used altogether for that purpose. Value,' 12s per 100 sup. ft, Tlus timber is now rapidly disappearing, owing to the large quantity used in the dairying business, both in New Zealand ,and Australia. \ ißimu.—Found all over the district, but mpre particularly on the western and south-western parts, where splendid |forests of this valuable timber omce grew, but now destroyed by the advance of settlement and cutting out bv sawmills. About 405,932,250 sup. ft.'in district. Used for bridge-framing above, water, fencing posts and strainers, and iuiniture-manufaeturing timber. Value, 19s p.tfr 100 sup. feet. Pukatea— Scattered fairly well in district. About 61,086,250 sup*, ft. A fairly; durable timber, arid can be used for weather-boarding, fencing and internal fittings. This timber is eminently adapted; for decorative work, as ceilings, panelling, and such-like internal work', as well as furniture. It is a valuable timber going to waste. Rata.—Grows in every part of' the province, but is particularly plentiful and large around the base of Mount Egmont. About 152,774,250 sup. ft. hi district. Durable as framing for waigons: also used for bridges, telegraph-arms, bearing for machine beds, all wheelwrights' work, boat knees and ribs, and waggon frames. It is excellent firewood. Value, £1 per 100 sup. ft. Maire— Scattered in small quantities throughout the province. Durable. Used for house-blocks, all sorts of turnery bearings, strainers, posts and house-piles. does not appear to be much demand for this timber, therefore it is not much used in the trade. Tawhai rauriki. —Found in fairly large patches in the more broken country north and north-east of the district. About 7,028,000 super., feet in district. Very durable: Useful for railway sleepers, fencing-posts, strainers, etc. Used for hou&e-blocks, sleepers, bridge work, and fencing. This timher is not" handled here by timber-dealers. Hinau— Found throughout the province. Very durable. Used for piles, sUepers, bridges, culverts, posts, rails, etc. Valuable for tanning. Tawa— Scattered all over the district. Valuable as firewood. Can be used for buckets, tubs, and butter-easks, but too heavy for hoses and will not hold nails very well., Now mostly used as firewood.

Rewarewa.—Grows in isolated patches throughout the province, but preferably along the coast belt. About 1,047,000 sup. "ft. ii) district. Not durable if exposed. Useful for ornamental and cabinet work, turnery, and all sorts of internal fittings. Towai— (Trows, all over the province. Strong; arid fairly durable.' Used for feneing-posts. Timber dealers do not stock this wood; it is only used by the settlers as posts for post-and-wire fencing. ' Mahoe.—Found all over tlie district. Xot durable. Valuable for charcoal, bnt apparently not used at all. Kowhni.—Scattered', alone streams, .mostly in northern part of the district. Very durable. Used for fencing-posts and strainers and small works requiring streneth and durability. Turin. valuable tree abounded along the coast) belt from the Wairau Survey District to the northern limit of the province. It has now all been used up. Exceedingly durable timber, both in and out of ground or under water. The timber is very hard and nearly black. It can be used for bridges and structural work requiring great strength and durability. The supply is practically exhausted. Used now only for furniture, for which it is an excellent timber, being of a dark color, and polishing verv well. None of this timber is milled in this province now, it having been all cut out. It is entirely a coastal tree, as the botanical name implies. Tit oki.—-Found in limited nuantities throughout the district. The finer growth is confined to the middle and used for oxen-yokes and dray-poles by southern portions. Very tough. It was used by the earlv colonists, but is not ; durable in the ground. At the present time it is used very little, being superseded by Australian timber.

Kohekohe.—Grows along the whole extent of the Taranaki coast belt. Fairly durable. .Used for fencing posts and furniture work: it takes a line polish. Kawaka.— Growing < > -i the middle slopes of Mount Egmonl. —Exceedingly durable; culverts put down in 1875 on the ranges at National Park Reserve arcnow in a perfect state of preservation. This timber cannot I.i used outside the ■Xational Park Ilesc .'. where it is protected by law from 1 ing cut or destroyed. Alth'Ugh a most durable, timber, it is most brittle and short in the grain.

Kotukutuku.— Grows all over the district. Durable timber. Used as houseblocks, posts and strainers; also for fencing in bush lands, as posts arc very hard to burn. X T o price quoted by dealers, as they do not handle this timber. In bush lands it is only used for fencing purposes. SMALLER, TREES AND SHRUBS.

There appear to be no special commercial uses to which the smaller trees are put. Many of them are use<l in the ordinary way as firewood, whilst others are used for ornamental tree-planting, such as the tarata and allied species, the puka, karaka, lniio, ngaio, and a few others which <lo well in the open. The karaka and ngaio are especially serviceable in forming shelter along the coast-belt, standing the salt-laden winds off the sea without damage. . Another valuable tree amongst the .smaller growths is the ake, now practically cut by the settler in search of maul-headt, for which purpose it is always in .great demand. It was from its deep red heart (almost black) wopd that the Maori of former days made all ■ those beautiful weapons of war—the taiaha, tawhatawha, tao, patu, etc. It was considered—and rightly so—by the ancient New Zealanders as the strongest, heaviest, and best of all the timbers for his weapons of offence and defence. The heartwood retains its strength, heaviness and quality in a remarkable degree, much more so than any other of our'timbers. Its drawback as a commercial product is its smalinesi?; it seldom exceeds 12in in diameter. It grows freely on sandy soil, and also in the shingle and gravel of old river-beds, and is singularly easy to propagate.