N.Z. AFFORESTATION.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19200, 5 January 1928, Page 6

N.Z. AFFORESTATION.

32,000 ACRES OF TREES PLANTED

[THE PBESS SpoclU Service.]

WELLINGTON, January 4

Speaking to-day at the Conference of Nurserymen, the Minister for Agriculture (who also holds the portfolio of Forestry), mentioned that last year 32,000 acres had been planted, and the Government plantations now amounted to 130,000 acres. The objective was to plant 330,000 acres by 1935, and he thought it would bo attained. The policy of the Government was to push out and utilise the waste lands, which approximately amounted to 5,000,000 acres. The Government had experienced great difficulty in settling the lighter and poorer lauds, r.iid he was satisfied if they attempted to settle many such areas for farming purposes, the settlers placed there would meet with great difficulties. There was not sufficiently good land in such areas to make a good living on, but, if put into forestry, although they would have to wait many years, ill the end the returns would be far greater than from ordinary farming. Forestry was going to be one of the Dominion's great industries, and tho Department had been making tests to sod what could be done with the byproducts. The Minister nicntioned that the Government had scut to America at considerable expense some of the native timbers mixed with exotic timber, which grew very easily here, to ascertain t if they could be converted into paped pulp. So far, the reports had been quite sutisfsii-tory. Some of the native trees, the tawa, for instance, now useless, might thus, perhaps, be turned into account in a profitable way. He hoped to havo the tests completed within the next six weeks, and possibly ho would lie able to announce that, as a commercial proposition, the experiment might be made quite successful. If so, a great fillip would be given to the forestry industry.

Later the conference discussed at considerable length the question of the operations of the State nurseries, and passed a remit vie win a; with :.lnrm the steady increase of State forest nurseries in •various parts 01* the country, largely started and ■ maintained in active competition with the private forest nurseryman, and calliiij ut.on tbf> Governraent to meet the nurserymen in a fair and bnssineslika nanrior, witli a view to ending the cutting competition now ]>einf£ waged by the Slate. A deputation is to wait 011 the Government on the subject later.