CONSERVING FORESTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 November 1921, Page 5

CONSERVING FORESTS.

PROPOSAL FOR STATE CONTROL. DETAILS OF THE BILL. DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE. By Telegraph—-Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The second reading of the Forestry Bill was moved in the House to-night by the Hon. D. H. Guthrie. The Minister said he proposed to that the Bill be read a second time pro forma and referred to the Lands Committee and the Native Affairs Committee, both of which were concerned with the lands affected. He explained that the State forest service would consist of a Minister, as Commissioner of State Forests, a director of forestry, and an assistant director, with a secretary and rangers or such other officers as may be necessary. The functions of the service would be to consider the policy relating to forestry, supervise the planting and conservation of forests, and the granting of leases, licenses or other rights to deal with forest trees. There would be an advisory board comprising, besides the director and secretary, representatives of the employers and workers in the sawmilling industry, and the distributors of forest produce; also representatives of associated interests in forestry, with a professor o-f forestry at the university, who would advise on the scientific side. The Minister would be empowered to purchase private land required for State forest purposes and carry on industries, connected with the production and distribution of timber or other produce from forests. The forestry service would determine th* areas to be worked each year by millers, and make provision for the protection of forest areas by declaring the surrounding land a fire district/in which the use of fire for clearing or othei purposes would only be permitted undei strict supervision, breaches of the law entailing heavy penalties. Mr. T r E- Y. Seddon (Westland) said the Bill was an excellent one, but ft bristles with difficulties. A State forest service would be expensive, but it would, he thought, justify itself eventually, though for some time the revenue from it must be small. He asked for a definite statement as to the site of the proposed school of forestry. He appealed for consideration for local bodies, which under this Bill would lose certain rents and royalties now accruing to them. Local bodies had not been consulted in this matter, as had been promised by the Premier. He thought too much . power was being delegated by the Bill to the Governor-in-Council —it was following too much the growing practice of government by regulation. The proposal to take endowment lands for forestry purposes was one that needed close* attention. He drew attention to the absence of provision fox- permitting the use of timber for mining purposes, which would involve miners in difficulties. Sawmilling was an important industry of the country, and millers regretted that amendments they had suggested had not jeome before the Lands Bills Committee when ■the measure was before them.

Mr. H. E. Holland (Buller) considerfd that forests wer£ under too many controls; they should be put completely under the Forestry Department. He supported Mr. Seddon’s plea for consideration for local bodies affected by the Bill through loss of revenue. Mr. Holland regretted the committee’s action ■in deleting clause 55, providing for a fine of £.lOO or one year’s imprisonment fox- the unlawful destructioU of forests. The greatest enemy of the was fire, and the strictest means should be taken to provide protection from this agent of destruction, which already had caused enormous losses of 'valuable timbex* in New Zealand. Mr. R. P. Hudson (Motueka) pointed out that local bodies not only were going to lose revenue under the Bill, but were put under heavy expenditure through damage to roads as a result of the cartage of timber. He hoped local bodies , would receive assistance m rtas matter. Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) gave general support to the Bill. He complained that vast quantities of kauri timber wdre being exjxorted to Australia, while New Zealand builders could not buy it for money. Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) approved, of the Bill as the forerunner of papermaking from wood pulp, an industry that to flourish in this Dominion. After midnight the Minister replied, stating that there would be ample opportunity for further consideration and amendment of the Bill, and the second reading was agreed to on the voices.