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The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 5, 1890.

Knual and exact justice to all men, f Ot whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political.

Tiih hulidii Forexter is a mag.mne little known in tliis colony, but eontiuiiinc; ft, vast unionut, of u.seful and intci-estint; inforination in connection with a butijfict of absorbing interest to us as well as to India, Lt has been officially estimated th.it in fourteen or fifteen years our own grand stock of kauri will be practically exhausted. With it will end one of the greatest resources of Auckland, both as an industry in itself and as a means of promoting other industries. Worse still, when this estimate was made the Litiglish and Scotch markets had not been opened; now they are absorbing an ever-increasing quantity of kauri, and the destruction of the forests will be accelerated. The great company that controls tho export may make handsome returns to its shareholders, but the gain to the colony will be Heeting while the loss must be deadly and irreparable. For it must be remembered that destruction of the forests does not only mean the closing up of a great fount of industry. It means also the deterioration of the climate, disastrous floods, the washing away of soil from the hill sides, the drying up of streams, and the loss of those conditions which give us a pre-emi-nence in all agricultural operations, in contrast to colonies less favoured than we havo hitherto been. In Europe this has been recognised, and many of the foremost countries, France, Germany, and others, have their forests under rigid supervision departments, whose duty it is also to reolant on the most extensive scale possible. In India, a similar department has been created, and the magazine we refer to is carefully edited by the Deputy Director of the S-diool in connection with it. In New Zealand we had such a Department also, but it fell in the "roar for retrenchment,'' in ISBS, although the cost was slight in comparison with that of others on which money is still lavished.

Tlie magazine before us covcrs tlio niontlis of January, February, and March, and begins tlie seventeenth year of its existence. It treats of Forestry in all aspects, scientific, climatic, commercial and practical. A very full description is given of the different characteristics of different timbers, of their hardness, aptitude for splitting, sawing, or working, their toughness, flexibility, elasticity, and other qualities that give them distinctive values, as well as the particular structure and arrangement of fibre upon which these qualities depend. Their capacity for absorbing, or resisting the absorption of moisture, their durability and its causes, the best times for felling, and the best modes of seasoning, are also dealt with. Their heating power as fuel, and the purposes to which the sap and the heart can be most appropriately applied are fully stated. We are told of the several defects that cause unsoundness, and have a full description of the uses to which the various timbers are generally put. Even the lengths and sizes are given of bulk, hewn, or sawn timbers, most fitted for home use or for export. The kinds most suitable for piles, foundations, piers, and superstructures respectively are plainly treated, while in the important subject of railway sleepers, the information is complete. The kinds that best suit the joiner and the cabinet maker are handled in the same way. In short nothing is neglected. The readers of the magazine are placed in possession of all that is taught in the schools in which aro traiued the foresters, whoso duty is to be the guarding of existing forests against waste, tlio planting of new forests, and tlio handling of the products in till their forms as raw mateiial. The influence of trees on tho density of standing crops, on tho moisture of tlie earth, and on tho quantity of water which percolates through the soil instead of rushing in disastrous torrents from tho bare hill sides, is the subjoctof a chapter in itself. This is a p-mit in which wo aro peculiarly interested, and tho neglect of which cannot fail to bo attended with evils of tho most serious character. A few years will quickly pass away. Tho end of the century is not far distant, and thousands will then denounce tho evils that wo shall liavo cast upon them. Tho monarchs of the forest whom we are now destroying aro the growth of centuries. To replace them will be a tedious work even if steadily prosocuted whilo tho climate conditions aro still favourablo. What will it be when these conditions aro cntiroly changed, and the clouds no longer shed their moisture ovor the whole land, but burst with concentrated fury on isolated spots, and thence run their disastrous course to the

That this picture is not ex aggerated, all know well who hav<

devoted attention to the subject, or have read of the experience of other countries. Slowly, painfully, and at great cost, they are seeking to repair the mischief that has been allowed to fall so needlessly upon them. Years pass and the effect of their work is scarcely felt. Still they persevere and in the end success attends them, for each year's work renders more easy the work of its successor. Yet the destruction of the original forest has, in no case, been so rapid as it is in New Zealand. Wo boast of our growth and rapid increase in exportable produce-—timber included. Tlie cause, is largely in our long coast line, narrow country, and numerous seaports, which give extraordinary facilities for the conveyance to the sea, and thence to foreign lands.

We ha\e added to them railways of length which increase the facilities for denuding our soil of ,lie trees which now silently perform so many benelicent. offices, and tend so materially to make this part of New Zealand what it is. Shall we, as men of common sense and as trustees for those who are to succeed us, continue in the apathetic, reckless course now pursued ? Shall we suffer the grand forests which clothe our hills to be transferred to other lauds for the sake of a small immediate gai there to find employment for people who carefully guard their own interests by admitting none but balk limber free of duty 1 On all other kinds, they place a heavy duty to secure from competition the people employed in its manufacture. in their own country. This is the characteristic of Victoria one of the largest markets for balk kauri. The British market, is not open to the same objection, but its absorbing powers are immensely greater, and its effect in the destruction of our forests will be proportionally felt. We urge the attention of our Legislature to this important subject, and to revive the small and inexpensive Forestry Department so recklessly abolished, and which would be the means of doing a great public good.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WT18900805.2.8

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2818, 5 August 1890, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,160

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. TUESDAY, AUGUST 5, 1890. Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2818, 5 August 1890, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. TUESDAY, AUGUST 5, 1890. Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2818, 5 August 1890, Page 2

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