FORESTRY BILL.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17277, 15 October 1921, Page 9

FORESTRY BILL.

GREYMOUTH OPINION. (special to -'the TRESS.") GliE\ MOITi-. October 14. The Greymouth Borough Council last evening discussed the Forestry Bill. The Deputy-Mayor (Mr Parfitt) stated that as it probably would be the last meeting of the Council before the Liii 1 came before the House, the Council should pay attention to it, a, the Grey County wavs directly affected, and the town of Greymouth indirectly, Cr. Doogan said the idea of the Department \va.< good, if properly earned out. but some of the clauses were "•ftainst the interests of the West Coast and the whole of the Dominion, In order to properly enemr'age settlenient the Department definitely iix tho.se parts of the country required as forest laud. 'I he Bill mentioned provi.-ional State forests, but the areas should he definitely fixed, .so that settlement could proceed elsewhere. The Bill in its present state would hang the matter up for five years. Many of the clause* were too indefinite. The arrangements did not include the representation of local bodic,.- affected by the Bill. T lie Forestry Department should work with the Dopartment, whoso officers knew the countrv. He moved : (a) That with regard to the Forestry Bill now before the H-use, this Council recognises the importance of the proposed legislation to this district, and considers that local bodies should have special representation on the Advisory Board. Hi) That- as the encouragement of settlement is so important it is neoessarv to have the land set aside as forest land definitely and permanently decided on, without delay, instead of the provisional reservations made as at present. (c) That the matter of deciding what land should be set apart as forest land shall bo in the bands of the Land Department in conjunction with the Forestry Department. The motion was approved, and it was resolved that copies be sent to the Prime Minister and Mr Seddon.