New Zealand Forests.

Progress, Volume XIV, Issue 4, 1 December 1918, Page 386

New Zealand Forests.

The Board of Trade Reports on the Growth of White Pine. Considerable attention is given in the second annual report of the Board of Trade to the subject of New Zealand forests. The report has been presented to Parliament, and covers the period ended March 31, 1918. "As far as the board has. been able to ascertain," it states, "there are no large white pine forests left standing in New Zealand, but white pine exists in scattered patches or mixed with other forest trees. The Commissioner of Crown Lands at "Wellington

supplied the board with interesting 1 figures showing the proportion of white pine situated in the Wellington Land District, where he was able to speak with some accuracy. The areas selected were in his opinion, 1 representative of the province, and are probably typical of the distribution of white pine throughout the rest of the forestry of the Dominion. The figures are: —

Percentage of Area. , . White Pine Acres. Situation. About 335 Between Manimui and Main Trunk Line 26 1910—Vicinity Owhango 30 165 Vicinity Owhango 24 Vicinity Owhango 22 Vicinity Owhango 22 450—Vicinity Owhango 59 200—Vicinity Owhango 8 1251—Raurimu ~. 24 913—Near Horopito 10 742 Between Ohalnme and Raetihi 22 734 Ohakune ...... » 2 Hihitahi - 8 . 350—Hihitahi ' ' ...... 7 1401—East of Mangaweka 56

"Where in the past white pine formed pure forests of that tree alone it was usually found on low-lying, swampy ground. These swamps, when the forest had been removed and the soil drained, formed the richest agricultural land, of high value for dairying purposes. The mixed forests now standing where the white pine is the predominating tree are frequently situated on good agricultural land, and where areas of this nature of bush have passed into private hands,the temptation is great to get rid of the timber at the earliest possible moment and turn the land to practical productive purposes. So strong has been this impulse that settlers have seldom waited for the advent of the sawmiller to clear their ground, but have felled the bush in large areas, grassed it, and stocked it with dairy herds. The high values that are now being received for dairy products will further accelerate the destruction of the bush on' privately owned lands for settlement" purposes. "Where white pine is still found on swamp lands, the suitability of such lands for close . settlement when drained is a strong plea for the removal of bush forthwith, especially in view of the pressing demand for and limited area of first-class land in New Zealand."

What the Enquiry Demonstrated. During the course of the inquiry it was demonstrated to the hoard that in working mixed bush it. is impossible' to leave any particular milling trees unfelled for future bush operations, as the' felling of trees other than white pine would damage and destroy the white pine trees to such an extent that they would die. Even in a mixed bush, where the ,white' pine predominated, the removal of other than white pine timber might so alter conditions that the

white pine left standing would seriously deteriorate. Some white pine was so situated that it could not be milled profitably for local consumption owing to heavy transportation charges but it escaped.those heavy charges when reported. For example, it would be impossible for box factories situated in the North Island profitably to use for the local market the white pine brought from the West Coast of the South Island. The Crown, in parting with its rights in timber areas to sawmillers, has imposed no restriction as to export, and moreover, it was fully aware of the fact when parting with the timber that the white pine when cut would be exported. Relying on the good faith of the Crown, the millers had invested large sums in necessary plants, tramways, etc., for the purpose of milling white pine, which timber, if thrown on the present local market, would have no value .at all, but which found a ready value in the export trade. The darying industry requirements absorbed about 45 per cent, of the output of the log; the remaining portion of the output of the log was in size and qualities for which no ready sale existed in New .Zealand, but which in the Australian market brought almost as high a price as butter-box sizes. '' Although we can never expect to get ' any timber equal to white pine for the packing of dairy produce, yet another timber must be utilised, as in the near future our white pine will be exhausted," continues the report. "It is imperative that experiments that have already been made with some timbers should be continued. The board heard a good deal of evidence on the matter, and found that the following timbers had turned out quite satisfactorily under test for both butter and for cheese —viz., taraire, tawa, pinus insignis, poplar, beech (FagusMenziesii), Oregon pine, and Canadian spruce. Inquiries made in Australia from the New Zealand Government agent showed that just prior to the outbreak of war thousands of butter-boxes were manufactured from scandia-board, a wood-fibre produced in Gothenburg, Sweden. This substitute is reputed to be capable of carrying about double the weight of. ordinary wooden boards."

The Board's Recommendations. 1. That the Government should determine without delay what its policy in regard to forestry generally is to be, as it is impracticable to pursue in regard to white pine a policy different from that applied to the other timbers of New Zealand. If the Government determines upon a policy of scientific conservation and afforestation, a course which the board strongly recommends, no time should be lost, in giving effect to such decision. Until the Government 's decision be arrived at it is recommended that the various Commissioners of Crown Lands should meet periodically and decide on a policy to be pursued. in regard to leasing or withholding from sale or lease the remaining blocks of timber on Crown Lands. -- ' • *•... . ''/ .'- : ■.'.-',. 2. That the Dairy Division of the Agricultural Department be requested to make exhaustive tests.

with various native and imported woods with a view to determining their suitability as substitutes for white pine butter-boxes. 3. That a bonus be offered for a suitable manufactured substitute at reasonable price. 4. That all differential treatment of white pine in the matter of freights on railway should be removed. This would mean an increase in. the freight rates now paid on white pine. 5. That the Australian Government be approached with a view to a rearrangement of its import duties on New Zealand timbers in order that the differential treatment accorded white pine should be removed, and other New Zealand timbers be placed on an equality with it. Since this report was furnished further urgent representations were made by interested parties for the absolute prohibition of the export of white pine timber, so as to conserve existing supplies for New Zealand's sole use. Sharp advances in prices took place in all classes of timber, the high prices and the insatiable demand in Australia having their effect on the local trade, and subsequently led to action being taken by the Government imposing restrictions on the export of timber. It was decided to frame regulations having for their object the control of the export trade, the fixation of price for timber for local use, and the gradual tapering off of export to prevent the depletion and utter exhaustion of our native forests. These regulations were gazetted on August 6, 1918.