FORESTRY WORK IN AMERICA

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22676, 3 April 1939, Page 8

FORESTRY WORK IN AMERICA

STUDY INTENDED BY HON. F. LANGSTONE

SPECIAL ATTENTION TO

FIRE PROTECTION

IPMBBB iSSOCIATIOK T*L»O»AM.) ' WELLINGTON, April 2. Forestry developments in the United States and in Canada will be studied by the Minister in Charge of State Forests, the Hon. F. Langstone, who will visit those countries before proceeding to Europe to represent the Government at the International Labour Conference at Geneva in June. Mr Langstone and Mrs Langstone left Wellington for Auckland by the Limited express to-night. They sail by the Mariposa for San Francisco to-mor-row.

Before his departure from Wellington Mr Langstone said he had a threefold object in going to Europe via North America and Canada. As Minister in Charge of Tourist and Publicity, the Government considered it advisable that he should acquire first-hand knowledge of the activities of the New Zealand tourist offices and Government agents on the Pacific Coast, and in New York and Canada. It was also considered by the Government that there should be Ministerial representation at the Golden Gate Exposition, San Francisco, and at the World Pair. New York. New Zealand had courts at both these exhibitions, which would be taking place at the time he was in America.

The--Minister said that of even greater importance, would be his inquiries about forestry both in the

United States and Canada. The enor« mous- exotic* afforestatipn planting project that hdd been undertaken m; New Zealand was predominantly in-* ( elusive of various tree species whose | native habitat was the Pacific Coasjj of North America. Pinus insignia 'j and pinus radiata from the Monterey district between Los Angeles and Sait Francisco, the western yellow pine (pinus ponderosa) of the Californians belt, and the Douglas fir of ton, Oregon, and British Columbia! were by far the most widely -propaa gated species in New Zealand. It wag his intention to visit high stands, ana where possible managed forests. . “In view of the extreme fire dangej which has occurred in New Zealand this year,” said Mr Langstone, "I prg> pose to give special attention to tt(» fire protection methods developed oni the Pacific Coast. These are the mofl modern in the world, and it is antiefl* pated that considerable progress cart be achieved in New Zealand by following the most recently developed methods of detection, control, and fighting. I intend to inspect plywood factories, and pulp and paper mills on the Pacific Coast, as well as , "the famous products laboratory in j Madison, Wisconsin. This laboratory | is the largest of the kind in the world. J .It was at this institution that the New | Zealand Government had a compre* ' hensive series of pulp and paper tests taken some 10 years ago. Since then the institution has been enlarged, and j I hope, as a result of my visit there, f that it will be possible to undertake \ further progress in forest products re-* search work in New Zealand.” Before embarking at Quebec for England Mr Langstone intends to visit Ottawa and the Three Rivers district. While in Eastern Canada the Minister will inspect high spruce pulpwood forests to examine the fire protection methods in operation there, and visit typical sawmills and pulp and paper mills.