FORESTRY PROGRESS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 149, 23 March 1928, Page 15

FORESTRY PROGRESS

DOMINION IN THE LEAD DIRECTOR OF SERVICE HONOURED TRIBUTES TO MR. ELLIS g The remarkable progress of for ‘ estry in the Dominion was reTerred to by speakers at a gathering of the staff of the State Forest Service yesterday afternoon, to bid farewell to the Director (Mr. L. M. Ellis), who has resigned to take up an important appointment with a commercial affortestation concern. It was stated that last year the Dominion nad planted more trees than the whole of the Australian States had done during the last thirty or forty years. The Commissioner of Stale Forests (Hou. 0. .1. lluwken), spaiking on behalf of the Government, said he could not let Mr. Ellis go without expressing appreciation of his great services t( the Dominion, which would be realised more and more as time went on. He had put New Zealand “on the map” as tar as forestry was concerned. 'The country had been fortunate indeed in getting tlie services of Mr. Ellis at what '.as u y 3l y critical period eight years ago. M ben ho was appointed Director of Forestry at the beginning of 11)20, the area of the State plantations was approximately 37.000 acres, and it had been increased fa 134,000 acres. Onder his able direction the Slate Forest Service had planted 100,000' acres of artificial forests, an -average of over 12,000 acres a year compared with the previous avetage of only 2000 acres. A very important feature of the work had been the substantial reduction in establishment costs, amounting to 40 per cent., brought about by the verv thorough manner in which Mr. Ellis had handled the problem, and Ins unflagging energy in improving and perfecting the technique of forest production. Remarkable Progress.

The State Service had planted a larger area, of forest than any other country, while afforestation by proprietary companies, local bodies, and private individuals had increased in a phenomenal manner. Some of the companies were doing excellent work Their efforts would soon rival those of the State Forest Service, and if proper methods were employed, great success was assured, and the future of the Dominion as a woodproducing country would be established. Tlie State Forest nurseries had helped commercial ventures very materially by providing young trees at exceptionally low cost. In 1920 the output of trees from the nurseries was only 190.000, as against 5.000,000 last year, and the sale of seeds had correspondingly increased. The Minister remarked that this was very satisfactory, and the Government wished to encourage commercial afforestation in every possible way. Fire Control. Fire was always one of the greatest menaces to forestry, but through the efforts of the State Forest Service, the general public now more fully appreciated this danger, and the fire prevention policy introduced by Mr. Ellis had been responsible for the exceptionally low loss by fire in the State forests. In spite of tlie extraordinarily great risks this season, the losses due to forest fires had been very small indeed. The retiring director was to ba congratulated on the success of his policy of disposal of State timber. In 1920 forest revenue was JC850I) in 1924-25 it readied the remarkable sum of 41101,500, and in 1926-27, a slump year in the timber industry, the revenue was £128,600. Possibilities of Pulp Industry. Another great achievement of Mr. Ellis was the establishment of a Forest Products branch. 2. great amount of testing work had been carried out and a. mass of invaluable information collected. The work had advanced to a most hopetui stage in connection wi’“i the experiments being made in the United States to test the suitability of New Zealand timbers for pulp making. The tests were near completion and the reports were most hopeful as far as the establishment of a paper pulp industry in tlio Dominion in a very short time was concerned. When the data had been finalised they would be in a position to get the financial aseistance of those interested in the starting of this industry in this country. Marked progress had been made on tlio technical side of forestry, and under the direction of Mr. Ellis, very successful work had been done at the Rangitikei experimental station in connection with the control of drifting sands which were menacing various parts of the sea-coast of both islands. lh<* Minister also referred to the interest of Mr. Ellis in tlie protection and control of forest wild life, and said he thought it would be found in time that the State Forest Service was the most suitable department to handle this work. In presenting Mr. Ellis with an illuminated address from the staff of the State Forest Service, the Minister expressed his personal appreciation ot the work of a splendid officer in a splendid service. Mr. Ellis had backed him up in every way, and he regretted that tlie Dominion was losing him. Tribute to Government. In replying, Mr. Ellis said he was grateful for me expressions of goodwill, and his thanks were due to the Government for the opportunity he had had to serve the country. The Dominion had been very fortunate during the last eight years in having a strong Government which had given continuity in • forestry policy. Forestry had not made headway in other countries because of a lack of ' continuity of policy. b; ew Zea ' laud was very fortunate, and tier success in forestry was primarily due to the (Government’s policy. He realised what a big thing it had been to be backed up by the Ministers who had had charge of his department. credit wits also due to the workers in the mate Forest Service, in which Mr. 1 lumps Turner and everybody else had contributed to make the work a success. Everybody in the department had made his work his hobby, and so it had been easy to achieve success. Credit was also due to the people of New Zealand who had responded well to forestry l>mpagandn. It bad been easier here than in Canada to get “forest-mimh’dness. 'The conditions in the Dominion ueie ideal, and he did not think any country could produce tree growth as regutiuly and consistently ns New Zealand. In regard to the future of forestry he was .certain that they would have not 300,'()(KI acres of nian-iuade forests, mn 5,090,0D0 acres. At present they «eij onlv using one-quarter of their loic.t products, and he looked iorward to Hit time when with the estab mhmen of tlie pulp industry, and a fully soU j’ 1 , , out utilisation of their forest P r P'*''"A‘ Diev would achieve Kill per cent, piofit from the residue of their forests Dr. 1,. Cockayne said forestl.v Had been brought to a really secure basis in the Dominion under Mr. Lm* Science was eull.V apnhed <oi.n mm sense, and Mr. Ellis had brought that to his work. , c0 ,...; f , 0u Tributps Io the worth.ami of Mr. Ellis were also P-™ 1 I’hillins Turner (Secretary of Io • Mr. A. Harrison (Clref .Inspect °1 of Forestry), and Miss Guerin and the gathering concluded with checis < musical honours for him aI ”l ■ Ellis. Afternoon ton was movlded tn Ihe lady members of the staff.