EXOTIC TIMBERS

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 177, 14 April 1923, Page 11

EXOTIC TIMBERS

WHAT STATE FOREST SERVICE IS DOING OPERATIONS IN VARIOUS DISTRICTS A TALK WITH CONSERVATORS In a chat which a Dominion reporter had with several of the conservators of State forests in various parts of the Dominion, something was learned of the valuable work which is being done by the State Forest Service in the direction of afforestation. Mr. W. T. Morrison, who is in charge of the Canterbury and Otago region, said that the regional headquarters, which had previously been located at Tapanui, where they had had great difficutly in getting in touch with the public, had just been transferred to Christchurch. They hoped this wns going to help a great deal with forest extension work. One of the new main operations was afforestation, which they had been carrying on for the last 23 years. Experiments of all sorts had been carried out regarding various species of exotic trees which succeeded in the region, and they now had sufficient data to state definitely just which should be planted. Their present planting operations covered 14,000 acres, and they hoped to increase this considerably during the next few years. Forest Extension. They had, he said, a very successful year in tree-raising operations, and now had a stock of considerably over six million trees, from one to three years old, over two million of which wore available for transfer to farmers and extension of their own afforestation. Their forest extension scheme really covered the whole of the South Island, and the main object wns to encourage tree-planting generally hv settlers and public bodies. They hoped thnt the scheme would result in the planting of several thousands of acres each year. Indigenous Forests. Regarding the indigenous forests, Mr. Morrison said that these consisted chiefly of beech of various types, but there was not a very large quantity of millable timber left. Most of these beech forests were very valuable as -watershed protection, and probably the whole of them would remain as such for all time. The settlers throughout the region were fully live to the necessity for. these protection forests, and were giving every assistance in conserving them: in fact, it was 1 , the general opinion, that no milling operations should be carried on in the forests remaining. Practically the only milling which was being carried on at the present time was that in exotic forests, and the excellent results obtained were a very convincing indication as to the expectation value of the State Forests Service’s exotic tree-planting operations. There appeared to be a keen demand for exotic timber, which was being sold in the case of first-grade stuff at up to 275. per 100 super feet, and in several specific instances the net returns from plantations of approximately 40 years of age had amounted to £4OO per e/rre. ’’’his appears to be one of the best forms of investment for either private individuals or public bodies. Many public bodies were now realising this, and were providing for fairly extensive planting schemes. In Nelson and Marlborough. Mr. T. Douglas, conservator of the Nelson-Marlborough region, said that up to the present, there had been sufficient indigenous timber in the region for all requirements. The settlers, however, were awaking to the fact that the forests were becoming depleted rapidly, and a good deal of tree planting was being undertaken. The Pu Pu Springs Plantation Company had been formed to plant an area of 100 acres, chiefly with pinus radiata, which grows very rapidly. Quite a lot of planting had been donp at Moutere Hills in the region of the apple orchards, whose owners realised that the timber would be required later for fruit boxes. Two million acres were under the control of the State Forest Service in the NelsonMarlborough region, and the greater quantity of this was -rotection forest. Round Karamea and Mikonui, on the West Coast, said Mr. Douglas, there existed large quantities of firstclass millable timber, which. only required an outlet to make the milling industry a very profitable one in that district. Insufficient attention had been given in the past to the possibilities of the Karamea district, not only in timber milling, but in farming. The land was of good quality and the timber easily accessible. If harbours were developed there w'as sufficient timber to employ a large number of mills for many years. The State Forest Service organisation was meetring with support from all sections of the community. The sawmillers had met them very well, and were proving of great assistance.

Wellington District. Mr. S. Darby, acting conservator of the Wellington region, stated that the transfer of headquarters from Wellington to Palmerston North had been attended with good results. Recently they had had a stocktaking of the forest resources of th? district, which revealed that only two-thirds of the forested area was under the control of the State Forest Service. The exception revealed the presence of 7000 acres of silver pine bearing country, which would bo well sought after when the work of reticulation of hydroelectricity was put in hand. Silver pine was a most durable timber, and consequently made excellent poles. Regarding tho sawmilling industry, Mr. Darbv stated that 26 mills had ceased operations during the past year, or transferred their plants further afield. With five years, he considered, the available timber supplies would have disappeared to such an extent that the centre of activities would have shifted to Taupo. At the .beginning of the year the sawmilling was in tho worst position it had experienced since 1914, and the bottom of tho trade depression was reached in June last. From that month there was a slight improvement in local trade, but tho export trade remained very dull. The mills were working short handed, and endeavours were made to got rid of tho stocks which had accumulated during the early part of the trade depression. No great difficulty was experienced in disposing of the better grades of timber. but the sale of second-class met with little success, owing to its having to enter into competition with American and Baltic timbers. The end of the year, however, saw a recovery, slid everything now pointed to e better time for the trade. Progress in Southland. Mr. Duncan Macpherson who is in charge of the Southland area, said

that the revenue from State Forest Service operations there had doubled during tho past year. Twenty-two areas had been negotiated for, comprising 4000 acres. Tho markets m Southland had improved very much during the past six months, Ihe first six months had been very dull indeed, but things had now assumed a much more hopeful aspect for the miller. The average mill in Southland was a small one, but they had som ®, of a cutting sapacity of from 12,000 ft. up to 25,000 ft. There were a lot ot mills in the Tahakopa district. Like everywhere else, the timber was getting further away from the railways, and tho time was coming when the railways would have to bo extended or the sawnrllors would have to put in considerably longer tramlines. The staple timber ‘in Southland was nmu, but they had extensive beech forests, which in the future would bo the country’s main standby. Beech timber was now being used for many purposes, such as furniture-making and the building of broom, axe, slasher, pick, and shovel handles. The clothespeg industry had just been started, and was turning out a very superior article, which stood the splitting strain better than the .imported one, while the finish was quite as good.. A large trade was also springing up in dowels, wooden pegs largely used in the joinery business. , Quite a lot of the Southland timber, in Mr. Macpherson’s opinion, could be used for wood-pulp, for which Timu and kahikatea wore particularly suitable, being longer in fibre than beech If sufficient capital was forthcoming to exploit the industry, paper of good quality could be turned out. In the Auckland Region. Mr. R. D. Campbell, Conservator of Forests, Auckland, stated that during tho past year 44,652 acres of Crown land was proclaimed provincial State forest, 27,000 acres of which was heavily timbered, and the balance chiefly valuable as protectional forest. Withdrawals for settlement amounted to 4527 acres. A complete inventory of the regional forest resources was completed, and the quantity o ftimber remaining for exploitation was now approximately known. An important forward step was the formation and gazetting of several fire districts under the Forest Act of 1921-22. The legislation enabling this to be done was of particular interest to tho Auckland district, as the inflammable nature of the kauri areas necessitated control of settlers’ firing operations on areas adjoining State forests during the fire season, which extended from October to April. Ecological problems affecting the operations of the service had received further attention during the year, and important timber tests had been carried out at the Auckland University College. On the West Coast. Mr. A- D. McGavock, who has charge of the Westland region, explained that tho slump had hit the sawmilling industry more than it had any other part of the Dominion on account of the isolation of thg district. Now, however, trade had improved, and about 75 per cent, of tho mills were working at about 50 per cent, of their cutting capacity. The’ sawmillers were looking forward to the opening of the Otira Tunnel, which would give them a better chance to supply Christchurch requirements than they had had in the past. The State Forest Service was establishing an experimental area of 900 acres on the Main South Road between Ross and Hokitika, about seven miles from the latter town. It was intended to plant 100 acres this year, and establish a nursery as a feeder for the plantation.