NEW ZEALAND FORESTRY LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3143, 28 July 1917, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND FORESTRY LEAGUE

ANNUAL MEETING. The first annual meeting of the New Zealand Forestry League (incorporated) ivas hold last oveuing in the Chamber of Commerce. Sir James Wilson occupied the chair. There was a fair attendance. The president delivered a presidential address, ill which he stated that tho league was formed twelve months ago with the object of creating more interest in forestry, aud to stir up the authorities to a. realisation of the importance of demarcating the remaining forests of the Dominion. He ivas glad to say that Sir Francis Bell, while acting as Minister of Lands, had authorised Mr. D. E. Hntchins to demarcate the Waipaoa forest in the north, and his recommendations were now in tho hands of tho Government. Tho president further said there were competent men in New Zealand who had a sufficient knowledge of the lands to carry out the work of demarcation. He advocated a census of private plantations suitable for milling pnrposes, and of the varieties of trees being grown. Speaking of the cost of planting yonng trees, he said the money spent had worked out at .£l3 per acre, but .£8 was the cost at the present time, and even that amount could "be reduced. Private planting should be encouraged, and there were millions of plants at Whakarewareuia Teady for sending out to farmers as required. Mr. W. H. Field, ALP., drew attention to the great waste of valuable timber going on to-day. He instanced tho case of a valuable Kohekohe forest, near Wellington, which, despite all his efforts, he hail failed to prevent the destruction of. He hoped the league would be aggressive, and press its claims upon the Government. It "was decided to arrange a deputation to wait upon the Prime Minister and ulace before him the need for a separate Department of Forestry, with a trained forester in charge, aud to urge the systematic demarcation of tho remaining forests. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—President. Sir James Wilson; hon. sec., Mr. F. W. Furkert; hon. treasurer. Mr. A. Leigh Hunt; hon. auditor, Mr. D. T. Stuart.