Forest policy ‘knell’ for timber towns

Press, 19 August 1981, Page 13

Forest policy ‘knell’ for timber towns

Parliamentary reporter

Labour’s policy on native forests would sound the knell for small communities in the North Island such as Minginui. according to the Minister of Forests (Mr V. S. Young). Mr Young was commenting on the policy announced by Labour’s Shadow Minister for the Environment (Mr M. K. Moore). He said that the proposal to end all logging in North Island native forests within three years would inevitably mean the end for several small communities which were almost totally dependent on indigenous logging.

The Government had already looked at the problems of alternative supplies of ex-

otic logs and the present policy allowed for a steady replacement. Mr Young said. "To take just one example at Minginui. deep in Urewera country, the mill owners stated two years ago that should the supply of indigenous logs, be stopped immediately the employment of the people would be jeopardised and the village would undoubtedly die,” he said. “For such communities, a continued supply of indigenous logs until local exotic supplies are available is vital. Otherwise sawmilling and forestry jobs will disappear," he said.

Mr Young said that the Labour Party's policy for the South Island was almost identical with that being im-

plemented by the Government. He said he was surprised that the Labour Party would want to duplicate studies which had already been done on a proposed National Park for the Paparoas. The prospect of locking up further large areas of the West Coast without evaluating the economic and social impacts could only undermine the confidence of an already restricted sawmilling industry, he said. "As it is. I have already proposed the establishment of reserves to protect the outstanding natural features at Punakaiki and in the Paparoas." said Mr Young.