THE SOUTHLAND FORESTS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 359, 27 May 1874, Page 6

THE SOUTHLAND FORESTS.

[From the Otago Guardian."]

REPORT on the motion adopted by the House of Representatives duriug the recent session of Parliament, viz. :— " That the Government should invite the various Provincial Governments to consider how best to prevent the wastof ul destruction of the forests of the colony, and to supply statistics and recommendations for the consideration of Parliament.*' — The first question |a what may be considered " wasteful destruction of the forests of the C9lony." The timber regulations presently in force in Southland proper provide for four descriptions of license to cut timber on Crown lands : 1. Settler's license at 403. per annnm to cut for the improvement of laud in his occupation. 2. Hand-sawyer's and woodcutter's licenses at £o petannum. 3. Special license to cut logs of length for wharves, bridges, &a, at ss. each log or tree. 4. L'cense of area to steam saw-mills, estimated at 10 acres for each declared horse-power, with a reserve for four years' cutting inclusive of the first year's, at a fee of ;>d. for every 100 superficial feet of timber cut during the term of the license. Of the threo last the licenses to steam saw-mills will, I am inclined to think, prove least destrnctf ul to the timber for the following reasons :—: —

Hand-sawyer*. — The hand-sawyer or splitter, having no occasion to erect an expensive plant, having no vested interest in any particular locality, and desiring only to satisfy his temporary requirements at as little trouble or delay to himself as possible, cuts down trees indiscriminately ; if, when felled, ho finds them difficult to split, he fells others until suited, the rejected timber lying to rot, or furnish fuel to the first fire started in its vicinity.

Steam Saw-mills.— The steam saw-miller, on the other hand, starts with an expensive plant, and as every foot of tramway he lays down into his " claim " costs money, besides the expense consequent on extra haulage, he clears the timber fairly as he proceeds. To him a bush fire means the destruction of his tramway, and probably ot his machinery— tit least, the loss of that timber to ntilise which he has invested capital. If therefore it is of importance to the public interest to prevent tho destruction of the timber by lire, it is' of much greater importance to the individual saw-miller, and he consequently will use every endeavour to compass his own safety, and experience here has proved this to be the rule.

Timber Supply.— So far as the district of Southland proper is concerned, I have no fear that the supply of native timber will be exhausted before it can be replenished by artificial cultivation. From the appended report of the Inspector of Forests it appears there are BuO,OUO acres of available timber, which, at a moderate computation, will require 400 years to exhaust. The 20 saw mills presently licensed, a nnmber I see no reason should not be doubled in two years, will employ 800 men, whose combined wages will amount to about £80,000 per annum ; while the proceeds from the sale of the timber would realise some £50,000 a year for distribution in the community, a matter of not inconsiderable importance.

Present Policy. — As regards the present I would respectfully recommend that a liberal policy shonld be pursued to encourage and foster to the uttermost the fullest development o£ an industry which is rapidly assuming importance. To put stringent and unnecessary l'estrictions on. its growth will simply result in enabling the Australian and Tasmanian timber merchants to undersell New Zealand in its own market, and thus drain ,I'rom the colony capital which could bo more profit ibly invested in the employment of labour. The margin is not wide, mid the imposition of harassing prohibitions, or too high ( a rental on steam saw-millen, will easily overstep it. This accomplished, the native forests will undoubtedly be undisturbed from remunerative employment ; but their destruction from the operation of natural decay will continue speedily and effectively. I would allow the timber to bo cleared off, and tiie reserves planted with men. The various timber reserves in Southland are so placed by Nature, that, once cleared, they would form admirable centres for a labouring population. Cleared, they should be surveyed into 10- or 20-acre sections and sold, not to speculators, but on a system of deferred payments,' or special settlement, to labouring men, -who from these centres would supply the demands of employers, and. when not employed, could find useful occupation in cultivating their holdings. This want of centres from which to draft labour at certain seasons is felt already, and will become more pressing as cultivation progresses. In my reports to the Provincial Government of dates l«th April, 1872, and Ist May, 1873, 1 recommend special settlements in Seaward Busa aud the Loitgwood: such settlement conld profitably be entertained in every bush reserve in the district so soon as it is denuded of useful timber.

Future Policy;— As regards the future I would recommend that tracts of land, from 2,000 to 10,000 acres, be reserved in the most sparsely timbered localities for planting forest trees. There is no reason why in 60 to 100 years forests superior to those indigenous to the country should not be obtained. From experience I know that many of the pines, such as pinns p'inea, pinaster, strobus,insignis,macrocarpa (conlterii), wellingtoniri gigantea, &c.,' together with the family cupressus, grow rapidly and luxuriantly. In planting these new forests advantage could be taken of the discoveries of science to supply the reinforcements of specific industries. To wit : ithas been found in Europe that wood pulp can be manufactured into paper, and that poplar, particularly the black Italian, was best fitted for the purpose, and consequently a large demand has arisen for it. Doubtless scientific inquiry will enable the^e new plantations to satisfy the demands of industries beyond those of mere building, and prove a fruitful source of wealth to the community. As to the question of shelter, if the outside belts are planted thickly with the hardiest varieties, there' need be no fear 'on this score. The climate of this district has, since 1857— my own range of experience— undergone a remarkably advantageous change ; and, from what I cau gather from the oldest settlers (the •whalers), it -was much more boisterous previously. If therefore tho native forests could attain their present dimensions under climatic circumstances more unfavourable than at present, there cau be little doubt but that artificial cultivation •will prove successful. I am perfectly certain that a pinus pinaster will thrive in too exposed a situation for a young red pine plant of the same age to have a chance of living in.

Management.— The planting and management of these new forests should, I would suggest, be entrusted to a central board of commissioners and local boards throughout the colony, according to requirement, the central board, to ba appointed by his Excellency the Governor, to consist of men whose qualification should be rather scientific cultivation, combined with a practical knowledge of the art of forestry, than merely social position or political influence. It would be the business of this Board to determine, by personal knowledge and investigation, the description of forest trees suited by habit of growth and nature of fibre to the climate of each district in the colony, and also their adaptation to any special industry which might be profitably conducted in a particular locality.

Local Forkst Boards.— The Local Forest Boards, to be appointed by the Central Board, should be composed solely of men practically acquainted with arboriculture in all its branches. If such are not to be found in the colony, they can be obtained, sufficient inducement offering, from Scotland, where instruction in forestry is largely imparted to working gardeners. The Indian Government, feeling the want of competent foresters (though preferring those from Germany and France), was forced, much against its inclination, to obtain these Scotch arboriculturists for the management of forests ; and I think the example might be followed 1 with advantage in this colony, where the climate— at any rate in the Middle Island— assimilates in a large measure with that of the Home country. Under any circumstances, if the future management of the pnblic forests is to prove a succes-, all considerations of political power or social standing should be ignored, and the members of Forest Boards be appointed on the sole consideration of a practical acquaintanceship with the subject.— l am, &c,

Walter H. Pearson, Commissioner of Crown Lands. Crown Lands Office, jCnvercaxgip, May 8, 1874. His Honor the Superintendent. Dunedin.

The appearance of Dunedin's principal street is about to be still further improved by the erection of new offices for the Standard Insurance Company. The site chosen is that on which the temporary offices of the company, the Savings-bank, and the offices of Messrs. Seivwnght and Stout, Princes-street, now stand. The building will be three storeys high, with, cellars, and the front portion will be built of Port Chalmers and Kakaniri stone. The company will occupy the ground floor; and Messrs. Seivwright and Stout the upper floors. Messrs. Mason and Wales are the architects.