Big Potential In Forestry Claimed

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30998, 2 March 1966, Page 22

Big Potential In Forestry Claimed

"The Press’’ Special Service DUNEDIN. March 1.

Large-scale forestry development of 200,000 acres of land in Otago and Southland, could bring an annual income of about £32 million, said the Director-General of Forests (Mr A. L. Poole). He was referring to poor-quality land in parts of South Otago and Northern Southland. Mr Poole said the full exploitation of the 200,000 acres could yield, according to pre-sent-day prices, £2 to £3 million a year, either from agriculture or from forestry.

In the case of pastoral produce, little could be added by way of secondary processing, but major benefits could accrue from forestry in the form of secondary processing.

Trade Results.—Successful candidates in the painting and decorating advance trade certificate were:—G. F. Ginn, W. S. McLaughlin, M. F. Owen, D. Riley (Kaiapoi). These passes were omitted from the lists published in “The Press” on Monday.

"In fact, it can be claimed that the total value of saleable products in the Otago-Southland proposal would be increased by at least £3O million,” Mr Poole said. “This is based on the experience with large-scale forestry in the central North Island.”

As an example of the possibilities, Mr Poole mentioned the annual report for 1964 of New Zealand Forest Products, Ltd., which shows that when full potential from its 200,000 acres of forest is realised, more than £32 million worth of saleable products a year will be manufactured.

Allied to this venture is the town of Tokoroa, with a population of nearly 10,000 and all the business and servicing that goes with a thriving, expanding community. Remanufacturing in Auckland employed more than 1000 people. “In the meantime land must be obtained,” Mr Poole said. “The forest to supply the raw material must be established. This in itself will keep in employment farming and freezing workers who might otherwise drift out of the region during winter, which is a time of great activity in forestry.” Some of the great benefits would come from an expanding economy and increased population. “Undoubtedly the opportunity does exist for this economic expansion,” Mr Poole said. ''“The time has come for local interests to capitalise on the region's potential.”