BLAMED THE PIONEERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 30, 6 February 1928, Page 8

BLAMED THE PIONEERS.

OUR DENUDED FORESTS.

VANDALISM PERPETUATED.

(By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") CHRIST CHURCH, this day. '*Wc often speak with admiration of the work done by New Zealand pioneers, but so far as the timber of the Dominion is concerned they were mainly egregious blunderers," declared the Mayor (Mr. Archer) on Saturday, in referring to the denuding of the forests of New Zealand.

"I am disappointed at not being able to meet Dr. Hill, but I noticed that he said, among other things, that in Xew Zealand we had destroyed forests growing on land which was only fit for forestry. During my holiday in the Catlins district in Otago I was very much impressed with the accuracy of that statement. There are considerable areas of land in that district which have been denuded of most valuable timber, and are now going back to absolute waste space. California* thistles, wild foxglove, blackberry, and other weeds are covering immense spaces, and becoming a nuisance to surrounding areas." The Mayor said that this unfortunate vandalism begun by the pioneers was still carried on to some extent. It was time that the State interfered in the interests of the people as a whole, instead of allowing individuals to act entirely on their own impulses, he declared.