FOREST REGULATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 78, 1 April 1911, Page 13

FOREST REGULATION.

r "Economics of .■ FVirieetrji'' '.bV ; *B."? "I!. Fernow (New York; T» ¥, Crowell; J.so<v net) U a book admirable for ite adequate survey of the principles, facte, and. methods of, forest conßerrfttion and: regulation. It is a little arsenal of information and arguments upon ay question which] in, Australasia, he» not jet been thoroughly [answered.-'./. ;;■■:,-■ -..>;.- v- r-.-■ ,!- ---" .Fernow begins phikwophically ,'by .dk-. fuesing: the apparent. antimony, of ./-jW individual and the State the individual, bent- on eecuring his temporary advantage; and the State with itadufy of securing thf•-permanent advantage .of mil its citizens, present and future. "Ita object is not only for the day, but in-;; eludes the perpetuity.of the well-being ofsociety, and the perpetuity of each favourable conditionsaawill;conduce to the. continued welfare .and :< of the same; in short, ite actirity must be with regard" to continuity, it must provide for the future, it nmet be providential." : ;.r:t't7.: : -vHv- •"^ ; '- : ' ; '' v Then Fernow shows the importance of the eonserratkm of forests to the State's interest,;; In chapters that are logically; consecutive, he deals with the forest :ae a resource and as a eontlition, ite natur-' al iistory and its business ' 'aspeetii the forest "pdicy r '-; ; -*Mci^.\l«M" ;: :"l>e«i-' adopted by Europe, iand America and the policy which should be adopted. : ':.one- 6fV jbis' illuminating pasagest lays down a ruleof government action fa regari■"•to'-'cbii'i flicting private ownership. '■■ i-■-- ■ ",_'/■.. : . -There are three generally different 'ways in wbfch the State .can 'assert Its' authority and carry out Us 'obligations to protecting' the Interests of the community at large, and 1 of the fntore, agalii«t the ill-adriaed u»e of Eropertjrjby private o»rners; namely; by , , persoaslve, amelloratlTe, or promotive >m(Wß"hrea, . - exercleh>g ; i mainly: -t lt». j oaocational' functions; by reetrictive meaa)iriß».'or ,indlrect contiol, ■ exercising j and by direct control; 1.c., owflkshtp and management by.lts own agehtiq||'-6;'<'.' : •ff BmHtig'-oor conceptk>6 of Bt«t'fe r ' fnnction on the.< fnadamental postulate*; , that the State has primarily the object to., lncreaee the freedom of the individual In pereonal and economic ■Klatlohs, and; to ;profMte-the "possfbßltlS'of tndMdual ■£effort; Sat iithe, sphere of governmental action and authority in circumscribing ;i Individual action . and lesponslblllty,' should be minimised, to abso; lute necessity.';, and that' the State ehoold undertake to do only whatever by-Tlta. character it to better ntted to do for. thef com-: mnnlty than the individual tnembers enn de for It—bur choice of method will be In tbe. order named; ;-.''.^;;'■'""■:; '--'-i. 5 l ' i'"■,'.••.■' .■'Aβ i general principle, only when persuasrre and promotive measnresfail;or. are Insoflk-ient, lecourse la to be had; to. reetricr dye meatinree; only when even these, are Inefficient jorinexpedient, isi.the Stateito'own and, nianige IpropertiesV. > - >- ■ -y--^.--...-.■-■■ ; '; referencee •-to- -■ Austrsilia ghould -ie brought upj-tOH3»te,V ; yet; th?ir- : implication djf. iiisufficieirt:;S<s»te "■'■atten--!t»6n' to forestry ;i'e etfll "ApH' pendiees dealing, inter alia, with - the rgria^h':~andV]ra^;-:o|-:tii^1^^ ; a^V^W J [ the Influence.of forests upon climate and upon ■water- and soil conditions/ a bibliography, and fa careful index, complete' a higbly, valuable: book. \ .'-,-: V :