FORESTRY COMMISSION.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14620, 22 March 1913, Page 12

FORESTRY COMMISSION.

VISIT TO HANMER AND GREJGNDALE. The members of the Forestry Commission on Wednesday morning left for Hanmer, and on arrival there inspected the State nursery and the Government plantations. They also inspected the prison camp and the prisoners at work preparing tho ground for the next season's planting. They left on Thursday afternoon for Uhris-t----church. At Culverden they remained three hours talking on forestry matters to several representative settlors who were attending the stock sale. A number of them promised to forward particulars of plantations made by them several years ago. Amongst them Mr Duncan Rutherford undertook to give particulars of the plantations made in itiGO by his father, who brought seeds of a number of Australian gunft. Tho trees from these seeds have developed into very line trees, and tho timber from some of them has been used for fencing and for rough sheds, and after twenty years' use is quite sound. The members of the Commission reached Christchurch on Thursday night, and yesterday morning they went by motor car to Mr T. W. Adams's place at Greendale. They were greatly interested in Mr Adams's collection of forest trees — probably the best collection south of the line. The area devoted to trees at different stages of growth was also inspected. Whilst at Greendale a deputation from West Oxford, consisting of Messrs Jas. Curson, Howard Bunn, D. Hawke and Wells, waited on the Commissioa and brought under the notico of the members the danger to tho 13,000 acres of forest reserve that would, result from the throwing open for selection of 1200 acres adjoining it. The chairman pointed out that the sympathies of tho members of the Commission were in the direction of preserving our native forests, but in view of tho great shortage in settlement land the matter required to be carefully considered in all .its bearings. He advised them to hold a meeting of residents in the district to test their feeling on the question of withdrawing the area mentioned from selection.

The members of the Commission leave this morning for the West Coast and will visit Hokitika, Greymouth, and a number of the saw mills in the district. They go to Nelson via Reef ton, and finish thoir South Island sittings in Marlboroiigh. They expect to reach Wellington at the end of the month, when they will start their North Island tour.