The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 1926. WAIPOUA.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 200, 24 August 1926, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 1926. WAIPOUA.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

Information gathered by a member of the staff of this newspaper who has just

returned from a visit to the Waipoua

State Forest, and the areae of contiguous

settlement both to the north and south,

go to show that a general consensus of

opinion favours a central road through

the forest as a connecting link between

the Waimamaku Valley and the North-

era Wairoa. Equally apparent ie the

fact that this view is prompted by the hope that at no very distant date the forest will-be exploited for its timber. A number of persons who have been directly associated with timber milling see in thie magnificent bush great opportunities, while others think that a revival of milling on a big scale would bring general prosperity to the district. It is evident that there hardly exists in the North the larger vision that realises that the preservation of this forest would ensure a magnificent heritage for all time to New Zealand generally, and more particularly to the districts adjoining what would develop into a national park, unique in this country, the playground of thousands of our population and the envy of tourists from abroad. Other routes and roads Would equally well serve the purposes of settlement, but only a road through the forest itself can

bring nearer the day of the axeman and the mill hand, and so a gang of men has started in to carry through the work, and their picks and shovels ring the knell

of the last great kauri forest. As regards the pretexts other than that setlement in the Waimamaku Valley demands a road through the foreet, the Prime Minister has said that the bush is decaying an<i that the kauri ought to be cut out before it becomes useless. This statement is flatly contradicted by one of our contributors, who has exceptionally accurate and detailed knowledge of this forest; and his view is amply confirmed by other credible testimony. As to the suggeetion that the bush is certain to be destroyed by fire, sooner or later, if it is left standing, this prediction is likely to be verified if the road is put through and milling once begins. But if the bush is etill maintained as a forest reserve its existence may be prolonged indefinitely. For modern' methods of forestry include elaborate syetems of fire prevention and protec- ! tion, which, in the worde of Sir David Hutehins, make a forest properly patrolled as e»fe from fire as any house in a city provided with an eflicient fire; brigade. , I

Once the road is put through this forest the days of the kauri will be few and evil. For quite apart from the riske to which it will then be exposed from fire, the Minister in charge has already warned the country that Government intends ultimately to cut the timber. In view of the expressed determination of GoVernnient to develop a national system of forestry in this country, in accordance with expert advice, on scientific linee, we are quite unable to reconcile Mr. Hawken's decision with the professions of his colleagues and the officials of the Department. But it is now certain that, in spite of the flimey and childish character of the pretexts urged in defence of this scheme, Government is going on with it. In other words, it is intended to destroy irrevocably our sole-remaining kauri forest, which, cither as a field for scientific investigation, a valuable source of timber supply, or a national park, should be preserved for all future generations. We appeal to all interested in the great problems of forestry and in the conservation of our natural resources to make conic concerted attempt to avert, this disaster while yet there is time.