A LOSING FIGHT

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 281, 25 November 1921, Page 4

A LOSING FIGHT

The debate on the Forests Bill in the House last night confirms the worst fears of the critics of the (Government. The Minister of Lands refused to part with control of provisional forest lands, which means that in the so-called interests of settlement he can do what he likes with such lands, regardless of the opinion of the Governments experts. The uncompromising attitude of the Government was shown in its refusal to accept an amendment providing that when the Minister refuses to accept the advice of the Advisory Board, the reasons for non-acceptance should be stated in the ann-u.il report. Surely Such a refusal in rather sinister. The melancholy truth is that the Government wants to be

able to promote settlement at tlie expense of the forest needs of the country, and the main reason for this desire it* thai, it ie the servant of the farmer, and particularly the big farmer. Thia determination not to annoy the farmer is seen in such retreats »» the abandoning of the compulsory fire-fighting clause and *fc provisions against unlawful depasturing and clearing. But this consideration for the farmer goee As the "Evening Post" says', the Minister j

"wishes to"keep forests under his control, so that the land-hunger may be »talle<i oii' by-sacrificing to 'settlers' fifth-class land that should never be deforested, instead of meeting that hunger by means of the much-boasted esta-te-ibreaking taxation that Mr. Maseey is rebating." L'nfortunately the large landowner has immense influence and trees have little, and, for the time being at Rny rate, the landowner has won.