Page image
Page image

25

0.-&

(3.) The assurance to the forest authority of funds sufficient to carry out the accepted policy for a series of years. " (4.) The grant to members of the Forestry Service of the status of Civil servants, with due provision for pension. " (5.) The appointment as the chief officers of the Forestry Service of persons having a high standard of training in forestry, their selection and promotion being by merit alone. " ((J.) The establishment in each of the larger parts of the Empire, and for the colonies not possessing responsible Government collectively, of an officer or officers having special duties of advising as to forest policy and surveying its execution." 2. Softwood Resources. —In view of the great and increasing drain on the softwood forests of the world, it is incumbent on every part of the Empire to conserve and augment its own resources of growing coniferous timber. 3. Empire Trade in Forest Products. —This Conference is. of opinion that the Empire's requirements of timber and other forest products should be supplied to the greatest possible extent from sources within the Empire ; that, while economic and geographical considerations may preclude the exclusive use of Empire timber, the trade between units of the Empire can be largely increased ; that the Empire can become self-supporting in almost all minor forest products ; that with these aims in view active steps should be taken throughout the Empire to organize and foster trade. This Conference, owing to difficulties of time and access to documents, has not been able to complete its investigations into this subject, and recommends that it be remitted to the Standing Committee on Empire Forestry for presentation to the Imperial Economic Conference which meets in London during October next. 4. Education (Central Institution), —This Conference strongly endorses the view held by the 1920 Conference that a central institution for post-graduate and specialized training in forestry, combined with research, is essential to the proper development of the forest resources of the Empire, and. regrets that owing to abnormal financial conditions the setting-up of such an institution has had to be postponed. This Conference apjjroves the report of its Committee appointed to inquire into this subject, and urges the Departments concerned to take immediate stops to inaugurate a central institution for forestry training and research at Oxford University, so that, if possible, it may begin to function at the opening of the next academic year — i.e., in October, 1924. 5. British Empire Forestry Association. —This Conference welcomes the incorporation by Royal Charter of the Empire Forestry Association, under the Presidency of H.R.11. the Prince of Wales, and commends its work to all interested in the forests of the Empire. This Conference considers that the Empire Forestry Journal, issued periodically by the association, should be the medium for the publication of official and technical information ; that, pending the formation of an Empire Forestry Bureau, this information should be collected and prepared by the Standing Committee on Empire Forestry (see Resolution No. 6), assisted by technical correspondents in all the Forest Departments of the Empire. 6. Standing Committee on Empire Forestry. —With a view to maintaining continuity of action in respect to meetings of the British Empire Forestry Conference, this Conference recommends the establishment of a Standing Committee which should consist of— The Chairman of the Empire Forestry Conference. The Technical Commissioner of the British Forestry Commission. The Head of the proposed Central Institution for Education. One representative from each of the following : Colonial Officii ; India Office ; the unit of Empire in which the last Conference was held ; the unit of Empire! in which the next Conference will be held ; a member of the Council of the British Empire Forestry Association who has had experience in colonial administration—with power to add to their number. 7. Investigations into Forest Products. —This Conference notes with pleasure the steps taken in Great Britain to form a Forest Products Research Board, but urges that the scope of the Board's work be extended considerably so that in addition to fundamental research it may undertake investigations leading to the application of the results of research to commercial practice, in accordance with the methods which had been found profitable in the United States of America, Canada, and India. This Conference furthor urges that immediate steps be taken to establish in Great Britain a well-equipped Forest Products Laboratory. 8. Foresl-jire Protection. —Canada. 9. Silviculture. —Canada. 10. Shifting Cultivation. 11. Next Conference. —This Conference accepts the gracious invitation of the Government of the, Australian Commonwealth to hold the next mooting in Australia, and requests the Commonwealth representative, Mr. Owen Jones, to convey to his Government a message of cordial thanks and appreciation. At the same time this Conference wishes to place on record its opinion that, if suitable to the Commonwealth Government, the year 1928 would be the date most suitable for the meeting. British Empire Forestry Conference. Victoria, 8.C., Canada, 7th September, 1923. Notes on the Forestry Conference. It was brought out that one-third of the world's forests, or 700,000 square miles, was within the British Empire, and of that quantity Canada holds 50 per cent., or 294,000,000,000 cubic feet, it was stated that during the past three years in Canada insects had destroyed sufficient timber to last

4—C. 3.

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert