MINISTER FORLANDS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 274, 12 August 1908, Page 7

MINISTER FORLANDS.

INTERVIEWED AT CHftISTCHURCH. LAND SETTLEMENT. . IMPORTATION OF TIMBER. Cat TpUiGEAPIt—PaESS association.) Cbrlstchurch, August 11. TJ)e Hon. It. M'Nub, Minister for Lands nd Agriculture, arrived from Wellington this morning, and left for Gore by the first express Tho Minister wil| attend to sojno Departmental business in Southland in connection with timber Jicpnspp affecting State forests, aud wijl also perform the opening ceremony of tbo now Riverdalo railway station. He will return to \yellington on Sat\)rt|{iy night.

Closer Settlomont. 11] the cqurse of conversation with a "Truth" representative on the train, Mr. M'Nab said that the policy of. acquiring large estates for closer sett)eniejit was typing vigorously pursued as far a? Canterbury was concerned. The Land Purchase Board was at the present time jieg'qtiating for the purchase of several large eistatps both in t|)o north-, fjifl the sputfj of tjip diptrjcfc, blit tl'erp IP prospect of pny. sijhdiyisjoij tf}ki[jg pWpP fis* fpre the pnd of the year, Workers! Hf>rnes. On subject of workors' hpn).es, My, M'ftab iaid that tho system had not 6upppss fropi an administrative point of vi 6^ and in hia opinion a better plan would be tp lend the people the money and allow them to make 'thpir : own • arfyflgempnts fjff buildingAt present the sphpmp did not pay, and it would'bp f#r'better to let th<? people build in way and repay tljo-iopirtQ til® Government. ' '

California!) TjJlstis. Another Tjiatter discussed w»s tl)i»t rpMins to the impqrtationa of chftff frbro the, PQUth Island into the North/ Mr.' paid' that some little trouble had been Caused m tho North Island,' arid it hod recently be®U that a quantity of chaff sept, from Dunedin to Taranalsj was very largely affected with Californian thistle! The Government were; accordingly, introducing legislation to allow of the seizure of chaff of that condition, otlicrwise'tjje'Califfjrnjan'thistle njiglit bp. carried all qyer the country where at' present it was unknown'. far as tlip particular lot hp had roforred to was cpneerppd,' thff Government, having'no legislation tp help them, had to buy tho chaff, the intention being t'o destroy it, but a market had been found for it on hoard a sip, apd it' bad been °f IP that py. " '

Basic Slag. " You will notice," continued the Minister, " that we have had some prosecutions in the North Island in' connection with basic slag. Tljere has 'feepn si keen demand recently fcjr basic slag, dfid ffoip -jnformiitipti lit' our. disposal'jihe ftepartm'ept' believes' that a lpW grade js being put pri t}ie market by some,of tbe''espprtp|-s frpiji ISnglapd, Wp have in'these'pr'p&eutiqps to call public i)t: teritioii' tpTthis, witb tliei objecj; 'pf. tryjpg 'tfj inducq'tjie fjmppr to biiy tho matoria), on. the' clainij but pjx tlie The strength of some of it js' jUst about one-third the strength of the best basic slags, and farmers are sometimes tempted to T)uy' the, lower grade when, as a mattor of fact, it might be two.or thrp? times as cjear." Oregon'Pino. Inference was made to, t|ie importation of Orjjgpp pipp,''and the protests of some 'inil> lers" and . others in'' relation thereto, Mr, M'Nab' said tf)()t,,the importation pf Oregon plnp did not cqipp under his 'Department! but there was one aspect,of thp jmpqrtatipit of ■outside 'timber. that did! The liands 'De' : Vartih'eht-controlled, tho ..timlier supplies flf sho' Dominion,' 'dfid- thosg timber ' supplies were ; being rapidly out out. Evej-y foot'of Oregon pino imported delayed the falling of llieiast : treo,' and pontinuqd thp industry in New Zealand to that but tbp spd was'pp'rtajn aijd not very far' off, It' would coih'e all tho quicker if tnere was no inipof? tation' of ■ outside ' timber; It wpuld'bo 1 pro'lopged jf Oregon pine'did come "in", The'introduction ,bf optside tiflibpr? would liririg home to those 'engaged 'in 1 the industry tliatit Hvas nop t'q bp with u's always,' aiid tliijt they; 'should' make ' provision ' acpbrdingly. With reduced timber supplies tbropdiput'the world prices must advance, so'that. th'p longer the cutting of our timber' in Ifpw Zealijhd 'was "delayed "tho' greatpr wpnlcj bp its ris'o iri valuoj''aild tjjo pp'ufVtry would got l ,ho 'b'ene^t : pf''thiit' , 'iidv'aiicp.'' Oil" tjipi'whole,' ie did not' look'.'upon "tli'p'"jfnpq'rtritipn"'<jf amber from ontside 'as an'' ljp'mixed evil, '