FORESTRY EXPERIMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 170, 18 July 1916, Page 2

FORESTRY EXPERIMENT.

PLANTATION OF COHNWALLIS PABK URGED. DEPUTATION TO. MAYOR. AN -EXAMPLE TO GOVERNMENT. ! INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION'S REQUEST. To urge the City Council to make an experiment in forestry on a paying basis, a deputation representative of the Auckland Industrial Association,' the Auckland Town Planning League and" the Auckland Civic League waited upon the Mayor (Mr .1. 11. Gunsou) at the Town Hall to-day to ask him to bring before the City Council a proposal to plant Cornwallis Park with timber' trees. The "Mayor made reply sympathising fully with the idea of municipal forestry, and, while not expressing hn opinion on the

actual "proposal of the deputation, protmised to bring the matter before the Council. The deputation consisted of MesstsS. J. HaTbutt, president; B. Buttle, vicepresident; T. E. Whitton. secretary; and A. McColl, representing the Industrial Association; Mrs Ferner and E. Melville, representing the Civic League, and Mrs S. I. Clarke, representing the Town Planning League. Mr Harbutt, who was the principal speaker, pointed out that the Industrial Association had been taking an interest in afforestation for years, and it realised that in a few years New Zealand would be in a deplorable state through want of timber. Tri these circumstances, they conceived it to be their duty to make representations to the Government and to urge civic bodies to insist on the government doing something to make provision for the future. They had the assurance that the work they were advocating would be a profitable proposition both to local bodies and to the GovernIment if they took action; otherwise the deputation would have had some diffidence in bringing their present proposal

forward. PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATIONS. It was only T>y providing illustrations and thus showing the large landowners the value of afforestation that the country could be educated on this subject, continued the . speaker. Mr. Harbutt quoted figures sh owing til* work already undertaken by the Government in raising trees, and suggested that if the Council favourably considered the planting of some of its reserves, notably Cornwallis Park, the Government might be approaohed to supply some of the trees. The Government would probably be prepared to supply the trees at a very low rate-rpractically at cost. The speaker went on to point out that the Christchurch City Council had, planted something like 130,000 trees this year on their reserves, and that had led the deputation to suggest that something similar might be done in Auckland. In Cornwall's Park the Council possessed something under 2,ooo'acres. and the area was well adapted to tree planting. It was protected by water on.several sides. thereby minimising the danger from fire, and it could be afforested without sacrificing its present function of a public park. .... A COMMERCIAL VENTURE. —Supplementing the-observations-of Mr. Harbutt,.Mr. S. I. Clarke said that,the object of the deputation was not to ask the Council to .carry out a purely

ornamental or beautifying scheme, but to. plant from a commercial Viewpoint. Our natural forests were "practically exhausted, and 'unfortunately the same state of affairs prevailed in nearly every paft of the world. • In the past we had deluded ourselves with the idea that there would always be a plentiful supply of timber from America and other countries, but' now the United States were getting to the end of their resources. The speaker pointed out the importance of the timber trade industrially, stating that next to agriculture it was the greatest labour absorbing industry. The native timbers ■were being cut away, and were difficult to profitably replace. A good yield for the Dominion was 10.000 superficial feet to the acre. It could easily be shown, and, indeed, had already been proved, that with proper selection a very much larger amount than that could be grown. -In-one area in Canterbury 200,-000 superficial feet had been grown to the acre. The speaker contended that the "rrfwing difficulties in regard to timber importation, the nature of our climate, and the necessity for -water conservation, all ought to induce New Zealand seriously to take up the- matter of afforestation. The deputation suggests that the Council could act as a lever in the matter of creating public interest, and could use its influence to compel the Government to do something further. SCHOOL OF FORESTRY. /

Mr. McColl. the next speaker, alluded to the fact that afforestation had been the subject of a special commission, but the evidence taken was not discussed in the House. The question was such a big one that the Ministry of the day side-tracked the. whole matter. Speaking of the industrial -Ateocistion's action in urging tlie conservation of the nativo timbers, Mr. McColl pointed out that large areas of valuable native bush were being cut out by timber syndicates, while how there was a movement afoot to turn the Urewera into sheep grazing country. There were large areas belonging to the City Council, which could be utilised as business propositions rf planted- The speaker pointed to the example of Germany, which, of air the countries of the world, alone had recognised the need for conserving and extend jtag State forests. Incidentally, he suggested that the Council should aleo consider the creation of a school of forestry the premiums from the studente of which might make it seif-erup-porting. At aM events it would be the start of a very big movement. MAYOR AND EUCALYPTUS PLANTATION. Replying to the speakers, the Mayor said thai he recognised the importance attaching to the question, for shortly after he assumed office he became interested in the matter of recovering with suitable timbers large areas of the Council's 'properties at present lying idle. -With that object in view he obtained a report from Mr. Pearson, the landscape gardener, in connection with, one large area 0f.3000 acres, and to his mind the policy Tecommended of planting eucalyptus treed was a good one. It was a matter of very great regret to him that the Council could not Bee its 1 way to go on •with the proposition. He ■ recognised with members of the deputation. that in regard to New Zealand tim- ' bers the question was one. of "preservation, and that it was questionable as to whether native trees could profitably be replaced. On the other hand, there were many valuable timbers which he was jrrre could 'be planted on Q*Jkpßt3\

tracts of open country with great profit A profit that would be realised perhaps in the lifetime of some of .the. members of the deputation. While not expressing an opinion .as to .. the advisability of treating CornwalHs Park in the manner suggested, he would ask the Council to consider it. _ Probably there were circumstances that would have to be taken into serious, consideration before the park was practically alienated for that purpose. But he would ask the Council to consider it in the light of national interests, for he believed that if only in a small way the Council could lead public opinion along right lines.