EMPIRE FORESTRY

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 12, 9 October 1928, Page 18

EMPIRE FORESTRY

DELEGATES WELCOMED BY GOVERNMENT

f A STATE LUNCHEON,

ECONOMIC STUDY OF THE PROBLEMS

The Empire forestry delegates were given a hearty welcome nt the Government luncheon, held at the Town Hall, by the Prime Minister (Right Hon. J. G. Coates) on behalf of New Zealand. The company numbered about 250. The Prime Minister presided, and among those present were the Right Hon. Lord Clinton, D.L. ; Sir P. H. Clutterbuek, K. 8., C. C.8.E., V.D.;; Lieut.-General Sir William Furse, K.C.8., D. 5.0.; Right Hon. Sir Francis Bell; Hon. A. Chaffey, Mr. E.' H. Finlayson (Canada), Major R. D. Furse (Great Britain), Hon. O. J. Ha when (Minister of Forestry, N.Z.), Mr. C. E. Legat (South Africa), Hon. A. D. McLeod (Minister of Lands), Mr. R. L. Robinson, B.A. (Great Britain), Hon. J. F. Rolleston' (Minister of Defence), Si.r Charles Statham, Hon. W. D. Stewart (Minister of Finance), Mr. G. A. Troup (Mayor), Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward (Leader of the United Party), Hpn. K. S. (Minister of Public Works), Hon. R. A. Wright (Minister of Education),, and the Hon. J. A. Young (Minister of Health). Unity of Empire. The Prime Minister said he considered it a privilege to welcome to their midst such distinguished representatives from all parts of the British Empire, representatives and officials sent by their respective Governments. It was clear evidence of the single-mindedness and unity in every part of the British Empire when they showed a desire to get together and know the Empire. It brought home to them what they were aiming for, not only to know the Empire, but more than that, to trade within their own family. (Applause.) This visit, continued the Prime Minister, was the result of an invitation issued by the Commonwealth of Australia and the Dominion of New Zealand, to hold . the third Empire Forestry Conference in this part of the Empire. Those conferences were held every five years, and the object was to get to know what had happened in various parts of the British Empire, the estent of its vast resources, and the use to which those resources could be put. This was a subject which was causing grave concern not only to the Empire but to 1 other nations of the world. ’ He would like to say how much they appreciated the work of Lord Clinton on the economic side of the question, and they wished his efforts every success. They were sorry that Lord Lovat was not with them, for they knew of his work not only in forestry but as one of the great Empire builders. (Applause.)Tbey would have an opportunity of meeting him later concerning matters of Empire settlement, and he would find the people of New Zealand thoroughly interested in the work he had in hand. Rebuilding the Past. The Prime Minister called Lord Clinton’s attention that close to him was sitting Sir Francis Bell, a representative of a family of old pioneers who put the fire into the bush, but added that they were now doing all they could for the reafforestation of these areas. In the past year or two there had been several conferences and committees at work endeavouring to see how they could preserve tile forests and convert them to economic use, and the Dominion had arrived at the position when it could say that the whole industry would be thoroughly and completely reorganised. They had to make use of the timbers, and it was for the millers to find a market. With the reorganisation of the industry he believed New Zealand would have gone as far as any country in recognising what vzas necessary in regard to forestry. For that reason the conference would be of immense value and interest to all of them. They had a wonderful Empire and so few of them knew much about it. If they could get down to a national stocktaking of the forests of the Empire, the turning of these products to the use of the people of the Empire, if they could make out a programme and a policy so far-reaching, then surely such a policy should be adopted and carried into effect. It all aimed at the one great result, to know exactly our wealth and how best to make use of it. He then proposed the toast of “Our Visitors.” Above Party Politics. Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., joined with the Prime Minister in welcoming the delegates to the conference, and said that all people of New Zealand were one in the work upon which their visitors were interested; Those who were engaged in forestry work in New Zealand were assured of support from all political parties because they were building up resources for the future. He recognised the importance of this conference. They had been six weeks in Australia, a short time for such a vast continent, and would be only a few days in New Zealand, which was not enough, but he was sure the general interchange of views would be of great > benefit to New Zealand. Soft Woods Wanted. Lord Clinton thanked the Government for its welcome. They had been sent as delegates by their Government to confer on a matter not only of local importance but matters which affected the wellbeing of the whole Empire. But beyond that foremost in their minds was that they were there for something more than forestry. They had got to know what was going on in the forests of the Empire, ascertain their resources, and the greatest advantage to be gained from them. That was not an easy matter. They realised the very great work which had been done in New Zealand. The destruction of forests was one of the things which was receiving their attention. In Great Britain they had destroyed the forests, and although in i ecent years they had made great efforts to restock them in some measure, the question was wider than that. Each to Look After Its Own. In framing a forestry" policy they wanted each unit of the Empire to take up its fair share, and for that reason they were glad to know of the great efforts being made in New Zealand. There were upwards of two millions of square miles of forests in the Empire, and they had ample stocks of hard woods, but were very short of soft woods, as were other parts of the world. As 90 per cent, of the commercial timbers of the world were soft woods it was essential that each country should look after its own supplies. The efforts which had been made in New Zealand were greater in proportion than those in any other part of the Empire. (Applause.) The s l ,eai: «r paid a tribute to the work of Sir Francis Bell as one of the pioneers of forestry in New Zealand. He did not think forestry officers could be successfully and efficiently trained in their own country, and for that reason he thought members of the New Zealand Forest Service should be given the opportunity to visit forests in other parts of the world and gain experience which would be of great value to this Dominion. They as delegates were looking forward to the conference, and travel through New Zealand. which had always been in the van of progress.. Mr. E. H. Finlayson, Director of Forestry, Ottawa, Canada, also expressed thanks for the welcome extended to the delegates.

THE CONFERENCE

— VAIvJ of exotic timbers

PROPOSED SURVEY OF NEW ZEALAND FORESTS

The Minister of Forests (the Hon. O. J. Hawken) welcomed the delegates at the opening of the conference, saying they were there to help each other m the interests of forestry in New Zealand and throughout the Empire. In New Zealand they not only desired to produce enough for their own requirements, but for other parts of the Empire as well. He thought New Zealand had done well so far in the planting of exotic trees, but no doubt some of the delegates could give them valuable information on the subject. The Empire should be independent of other countries in the matter of forestry and other products. Forestry was popular with the people, and he’ hoped the grants in this direc-' tion would be increased. All reafforestation was exotic, which might seem strange in view of the splendid native timbers, but the exotie trees grew much more rapidly. When New Zealand was first discovered the country was covered with forest and bush, and the early settlers found that grasses from all parts of the world would grow on old timber and bush lands. Foreign grasses were superior to native grasses, and the same applied to trees. In most cases New Zealand could grow exotic trees more successfully than they were grown in their native countries. Whatever the delegates wanted in the way of assistance and information they had only to ask for. He hoped their experience would be of value to them and also to New Zealand. . Lord Clinton thanked the Minister for his welcome and said he was sure the forest officers would, be given the fullest opportunity for training and gaming experience in the service. He then took the chair at the conference, a debate taking place on the report upon exotic trees. Exotic Trees. Air. H. R. Blandford, 0.8. E., Conservator of Forests, Burma, said he had a natural preference for the woods that God had given them, and he was not altogether in favour of exotics, for he had found that some which had been tried in India had not been successful. Exotics should only be introduced withgreat care and only, after study of the climate and soil. Seed should be introduced from a country where the climate was similar to that of the country to which the introduction was made. Exotics could only be said to have succeeded when they had reproduced themselves. He instanced how Norway spruce had been successful in England in this respect. Success could 'only be gained after long experience. He moved the adoption ot his report. „ Mr. C. E. Legat, B.Sc., Chief Conservator of Forests, South Africa, in seconding the motion, related his experiences of exotic trees in various countries. The climate round Cape Town was similar to that where jarrah was grown in Australia, but experience had shown that it did not succeed in South Africa. He emphasised that they must not be too dogmatic in the planting of exotics. Some trees had flourished and gave a straight clean bole, while others had proved stumpy and branchy. Regarding pinus insignis he thought there were one or two varieties, and he favoured the use of seed from good examples of the light branch type. Soil conditions also required consideration, as had been proved in South Africa ironbark and redbark of Australia. It was also possible'to introduce pests with the exotic trees, and some such trees were also liable to hail damage, while fungus following a hailstorm would destroy whole areas. In America pinus insignis had no recognition, but in New Zealand and Australia its value was not to be ignored. In South Africa they had grown exotics extensively, mainly from Hobson’s choice. Care in Selection. Mr. E. J. Zavitz, M.Se., F., Deputy Minister of Forests, Ontario, dealt with the Laurentian formation in Canada, and urged care in the selection of seed, emphasising varieties which had not succeeded in that country. The European larch was one of the trees which promised to be of the greatest value. In the Western Plains country the Siberian larch, while a Russian variety, although growing well, was troubled with insects. Need For Survey.

Dr. L. Cockayne (New Zealand) spoke on the reason for planting exotics in New Zealand. It was mainly due to the forests which were rain forests, he said. He referred to the limited amount of forestry done by forest-loving settlers, and remarked that the first thing which should have been done in New Zealand was a survey of New Zealand forests by qualified scientists and foresters, who should have ascertained how these trees had behaved in different climates and in different habitats. He would like to see the conference recommend to the New Zealand Government that such a survey be made of New Zealand plantations. (Applause.) From that they would learn a tremendous lot, and he was sure the Government would pay attention to such a report. Nothing could be of greater importance. “We talk of this, that, and the other strain, and we don’t know what we are talking about,” he continued. The question of the strain of trees was one of the most important matters at the present time, one which he was studying closely, and one upon which he was doing probably more than anyone else in the world.. Pinus insignis was a tremendous mixture, and New Zealand manuka was probably an extensive hybrid. This was a subject which should be taken up by enthusiastic young men. There should be proper breeding grounds where they could study exotic trees, and find out which were best suited for forestry.

Lord Clinton replied that the conference would greatly value the views of such an experienced man as Dr; Cockayne. Mr. R. D. Richmond, acting-Chief Conservator of Forests, Madras, and Mr. H. A. Prichard, 0.8. E., assistant-Coinmis-sioner, British Forestry Commission, also spoke, the latter stating that apart from epidemics, pinus insignis was worth while provided it was cared for in all stages of growth. The entomologist and the botanist should be called in at the earliest stage.

Mr. S. H. Howard, 8.A., another delegate from India, gave a brief outline of experiences in his district. Results of forestry work in New Zealand were given by Mr. W. T. Morrison, Conservator of Forests, Rotorua, who mentioned varieties which had been very successful, nnd also varieties which were foisted upon them in the early days of experimentation, and which were useless. Other delegates urged the value of experiments as one of the ways to make progress in forestry. One referred to the fact that this line had Enabled them to show that a Californian weed—pinus insignis —could become a wood under suitable conditions. At this point the session was adjourned. To South Island. The delegates left by the evening ferry steamer for Lyttelton, leaving Christchurch this morning for Dunedin, where a civic reception will be tendered to-night.