Damaged Timber To Be Sold To Japan

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31657, 18 April 1968, Page 30

Damaged Timber To Be Sold To Japan

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, April 17.

As a result of the storm last week, log exports from Nelson to Japan would increase by several million cubic feet this year, the Minister of Forests (Mr Maclntyre) said today.

“The storm seriously damaged about 2000 acres of Golden Downs forest. One block of 500 acres was flattended,” Mr Maclntyre said.

worth about $4.5 million in overseas funds, will be immediately available for sale to Japan. “Already foresters and logging experts are assessing the extent of the damage, using aerial photographs taken on Monday by the R.N.Z.A.F. The Nelson Harbour Board, other local bodies, and contractors and agents are working together to make recovery as rapid as possible. “With a stocked area of about 42,000 acres. Golden Downs is the largest exotic forest in the South Island,” Mr Maclntyre said. “Although the amount of timber felled is quite large, it represents only a small proportion of the Golden Downs forest. The damage will not affect proposals for a major wood-using industry to be set up in Nelson in the 1980 s.” The Minister said that if farmers who had lost trees in the storm asked the Forest Service, its staff would advise them on the best way to sell logs of marketable quality. NX Losses Hundreds of acres of plantations in Manawatu, Rangitikei and Wanganui are thought to have been damaged during the storm. No-one has a clear idea yet what the

loss amounts to, the Press Association reports.

Plantation owners are expected to meet at Bulls on Saturday to assess the damage and, if thought necessary, to form a committee to ask about compensation. The Earthquake and War Damage Commission does not cover plantation trees, even if they are insured against fire loss, nor does it afford cover for fences.

“Trees were uprooted or broken at various heights. Most damage is south of Spooner’s Range, towards the eastern part of the forest." Damaged trees would be taken out as logs wherever possible, he said. The Forest Service expects that about 15 million cu. ft,