SCHOOL OF FORESTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 194, 14 August 1920, Page 12

SCHOOL OF FORESTRY.

AUCKLAND'S CLAIMS. DEPUTATION TO PREMIER. (Ry Telegraph. -'Special tn "Star/) WELLINGTON, this day. "There is a scalp to be got, and we are after it.'' "Svalp hunting is a dangerous thing.'' Such were the preliminaries between the Premier and the lion. J. (I. Garland when the latter introduced a delegation tfrom Auckland to tire Premier,. Sir 'Francis Bell, and the lion. C. J. IParr to urge the claims of Auckland for the establishment at the Northern city of a School of Forestry, The deputation was a strong one, and was supported by vari-. mis North 'Island members, Messrs.! Rhodes, ' Harris, Reid, Hoekly, and .Bollard, while apologia* were received from Messrs. Mander, Dixon, Young. and Poland. Professor Thomas explained that gathering comprised specialists in every aspect oi the question to be presented, 'lie referred to a, covenant of the New Zealand University Council drawn up to prevent overlapping. Spcoinli.-ation was J the keynote of t.hi>, and it iiad been decided to allocate special subjects as 'follows: ntago. medicine: Canterbury, engineering: Wellington, law; Auckland, forestry and agriculture. This decision was designed in flic best interests of thei Dominion, hut Canterbury had tdncc frone' hack on iis concurrence in the scheme.! While the deputation had no inclination to hinder tifc activities of Canterbury, it \y«s considered im]>erat;ve that the decree should be # rcspei'tod, ami toe Forestry School retained for Auckland. The unique facilities of the latter town would lie emphasised by subsequent speakers. lie himself wished" to emphasise the point that the Northern province w-as by nature a forest reg-on. whereas Canter--I>iirv was jintss country. The 'a'-il'lties at present available and pending at Auckland University were by Mr. ChappCll. lie took it t.lrat eminently practicable training was believed in, and Auckland University catered for all essential suhjects. Sir Francis Bell: Do you .-ay other colleges can't do that? Mr. Chappell said in- w not actuated I>\- a parochial motive, as he himself was a graduate of Canterbury College, and appreciated the representations that institution were making. Mr. 1 Intlor trrJti'ied as In the close association of eawmilling with forestry. Modern ideas had discountenanced ti:e tiieorv that a millerwas a vandal. The position had to bo looked at in a utilitarian li_-lit. as -veil as from svenie and dinrari'' aspect. 'Hie timber miller was a •harvester rather than a destroyer, lie referred to favourable Waterways along the whole of the .provincial coast as an asset in commercially developing I'oresU. As evidonce o,f what a practical commercial community were prepared to do, lie said it was almost assured that they would nuance logßing scholarships. The potentialities of puriri were dealt with In- the Hon. K. Mitehebson aud Mr. \V. R. Leyland. This lurrativo hardwood, it was stated, matured in about fifty vcars. Mr. S. T. Clarke (Industrial Association! said that with the developing of th.- resources of all parts of the island demonstration areas might eventually be established in various centres. Mr. J. IT. I'pton emphasised that the; whole question had really been deter- i mined by nature. The North Island,! broadly speaking, in addition to being j the home of the kauri, was an- island of forestry. To follow nature, and not to.! create, should be their motto. After receiving an intimation from Sir Francis Bell that he did not intend to sjieak. Mr. Massey expressed appreciation of the interest shown iv the subject. As time went on the question would become one of increasing importance, looking back, it was a matter for regret i that more attention had not been paid to j the subject earlier, for this might have, prevented timber being ruthlessly destroyed. The Forestry Department had done nniWi good work, but there was i more important work to do as time went on, in particular the establishment of a school of forestry. As an Aucklander, be knew something about timber possi- j liilities there, and he appreciated (lie; point that had been stressed concerning | the utility of waterways. The future 1 generation bad lo be provided for. Ilej was glad that reference had been made j to trees suitable for planting, and he could support their testimony to puriri, as lie himself had known thesij trees to mature in twenty years. The puriri wanted a warm climate, which was not to be found beynud the limits of Auckland province. }t would lie the business of Cabinet to decide before long where the school of forestry should be established, anil serious consideration would he given to the representations made from various districts.