"MAGNIFICENT."

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 250, 22 October 1928, Page 9

"MAGNIFICENT."

KAURI AT WAIPOUA.

OVERSEAS EXPERTS' VISIT.

TRIBUTES PAID NEW ZEALAND.

mis is the first real kauri I have g *en and I was particularly impressed with the growth and magnificence of the trees, and also with the wonderful association of plants forming the undergrowth," said Lord Clinton, chairman of the British Forestry Commission, after Ms return from the Waipoua kauri forest in company with other members of the commission.

lord Clinton expressed the opinion | that New Zealand should do everything possible to keep the remaining kauri forests intact. He paid a tribute to the Dominion when he remarked that this country was doing more than any other P*rt of the British Empire in forest conservation and affores>tation. New Zealand was particularly advanced in the distribution of exotics.

All the members of the commission were impressed with what they saw at Waipoua. Mr. H. M. Gardner, of Kenya Colony, said that the slow growth of the kauri should not be a bar- to fur•her planting. Kenya was growing cedars for use a century hence. _Mr. H. G. Keith, of British North •Borneo, said there were trees in Borneo closely resembling the kauri and yieldmg a similar gum. He was greatly impressed with our method of scaling the *fun tree with the aid of climbing irons, and he is taking back with him * set of the irons with a view to introducing our methods to gum seekers and botanists. He proposes to introduce the jwuri into northern Borneo, as he is of wj.® opinion that the tree may mature ®ore quickly there in the warmer climate.

Mr. Keith was surprised that New Zealand had not done more- to reigener*te the kauri. He observed much natural regeneration and was of : opinion that growth might be hastened in mu®>*de plantations. In some teak-grow-ing countries afforestation had shown wiat the 200 years rotation, based on growth, could be shortened 80 or 100 years in plantations pro-, Pwly, prepared with adequate spaces rbetween the trees. ' 'ah v * '■'% *s a-.;/* ... . : . . I Iff III!