STANDING TIMBER

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 18, 21 January 1921, Page 7

STANDING TIMBER

METHOD OF SALES

THE NEW POLICY DETAILED

Much, curiosity has been expressed' by aawmiilers as to the-proposals of the Forestry Department-ill-regard to tint-.'. to sales. They have 'been, enlightened) ,_ as the Tesult of a'statement'prepared? by the Director, and,handed to the '.«.&•< outive of the Dominion. Federated "Saw-: millers' Association by-the Minister, in '. charge of the Forestry Department at'a conference this week. ■■■•• -■■■■"'" . ■ ■■'■"i .-••';- ---"A progressive timber-sals policy is a vital need and component-of any. broad"" national forest policy ." says, thfe ''statsfl ment. '.'With some exceptions, New "ZeivYland is not receiving even'approximately the market price for her standing timbec disposed of to conoessjortaires. .-.I* 1 goes.". without saying -that, as stewards of ilia" . people,, the Government. is. responsibly lor the careful administration of'aiii-na; • tural resources. It therefore behoveVttte legislative■ authority to see.thafc-Ta'iair ' return is attained, from, .the sale .of .-the :'*, Dominion's timber resources^ at 1 the same; time considering the interests of the tim- - her industry and of the consumer. The . timber-sale policy, should ' be qne:'thafc. gives a fair a,nd joit measure of certainly / 'to concessionaires, and ■ therefore staiiijr.. ity. It should provide for a. more- equitable return than under present condition^ (concessions socli as "sawmill .. licences, licenses under tile mining wardsn, «4c.),. and, proportionate increases iv the futurei It is fortunate that ..the'.. principle" ofCrown timber royalties, is' gehera.Ujuiri use,- inasmuch.! as; it ■represents,.the- priflv; ciple of profit-sharing "by the 'people inthe industries \thich aevelop'.the.'.'timkei resources. . . ... '.. , .'■.■'.' ;■ V ' : . FOR PUBLIC WELFARE. . ; f:'"iV "A\fair timber-sale policy ■''', should provide for—.(l) Sa-l-o of public timber in : such a manner, that it contributes; -to ■ ■ the people's welfare in the 'highest practical, degree;. (2) a procedure Vhich'-vvfll eliminate'dcSnitely -awd fairly' She nihcer- . tainties. which have disturbed; arid ;fenj> ■ pered forest-indiistry—naraely.'.'i'nd^fimte-polic.y, ambiguous.. resulaiiOns;-.;'erratic •supervision, .. and • ..uncertain ■ t;e'nure-; (a) granting, of .aM 'reasonable iaciMes''£o' ' actual, and bona-fide millers .in -oiider to permit of adeaunte' investment aiid. • profitable return, trad so that forest don- • serration may not be- a remote,, "but a near and more profitable thing -upon- ail areas over which milling-rights: .a ; r« Rrant lea:;'..J4')'f6raniuJati'bij. of a'forest JaV' ■and regulations... wiicK' wi11... .effectually . discourage timber-land aggregation;'-ffre- ' vent trafficking, arid specnjation^tr' %c resources of the' Dominion; (5) -I ain'^n , lav,ourof providing.in. the new forest.ia?.v ' a clause preventing the- transfer .of? any timber-sale made iby ±be new'xe^imerthis principle w^ll''nave-ito/be'-ultimately recognised if .applied forest.management; 5s _to. prevail.. In oountries where a. conscious forestry 'control 3s -now- in farce . this principle applies. The philosophy of it is: The State holds, at all times, a lull control over its contraxjt; there is no granting of vested interest -the-standing-timber (purchaser, it reaps ifihe unearned increment. It wi'H be seen t'ha.b <ultimateily the -Rale-price will ■ equal. Uhe eosl_ of. production, so that for self-pro-tection it Tnust maintain ,"a.'firm control' ■of its property).;,. T . .:• .■„'•£...» '- PKEVEMTON ©F MONO'POI&S. _ " (6) As a general principle, it is; desirable that in the development, bf-ad-, mmistrattve the of " all .ocal questions .beupon local grounds, m each case considering .'the dominant industry, but with as little restriction to •„ .•oomicamf, industries as ppasiKe; (7)' the ' ■Gqmmis-sioner of' State Forests and siis . administrative i uistrument^the Stata Sorest 'Service—is the one^ branch of ■government 'empowered and .-'responsible for the 'control, -disposition, and..sale ■of all forest resources within -State *<j«'ests a , n( j provisional .State ■'" forests. #) The people .are entitled, 'afairtinies, w the full market value, of all standinff tnntea.- disposed of. In order that-this may always be attained, all timber-sales should foe fj.\jected to public competition^ th« <a?<jptions beißf?" small sales oS nommal value; the limit to' be fixed by. % Mim-sterJn,Charge.:;,:.lt_Ss"farther' proposed that ;no timber ishonld.be'-sold. ■for less than its appraised -market -valuej —minimnin bcinß fixed from time to time (9) State, timber should ba sold: ' in._ti« round by ons of -the • standard 1 s > units oi measure cf.the Service^-haniely > i 7« c? c' f<?ot: m siPerficial measure ■ol IUO feet (1-foot -board measure equals a_board 12iri x 22in x lin deep). (10) -Sales : ■ of timber in'sma-H quantities should ba encouraged by every possible, means. ■■. • . It is hot' desired to sell timber in.' ' - such a. manner that .any one mill'would have a monopoly, but the amount 'to be ■eat from yeai to year'should be-Wa-Jated so. that established'plants.'.'if -•successful competitors for timber-offered- for . ■sale, can be assured continued-operation ■for reasonable periods:. • FurthcrmbreVaio • sate \slxkild, be made whiqh endajißer Wie future supply for local use-or' the •' maintenance of'iocal industries :!" ■ ONLY ESSENTIAL RESTRICTIONS, "(11) All felJed timbw'to be braiided ajid properly - measured., l}efore.,.removal irom the saJ« area (inthe'disc-retion'Vif . • the competent officers measurement may take place- at the. point of millhig). ».'(l2> ' , Hie.v State Forest .Service lS ho.uld;" l.uvo . . iiui chare« -of tlie silviculturaj ■•^pojiry over all timber sales, fi-p.m" Ste-fe''forests ■ and provisional State rtorests "Sr' -'auv " other foresfs- under the' control of-tim Matß.Fm>est- Service, and-'to the ■■extent. of protecting Uie public 'interest'l'shiJuW be. granted sufficient..••supervision' ovcv manufacture to require .the use of -efficient machinery for the •preveAtioSJ Kdf *x-cessiv-e waste.' Oiily'. those-. .'restrifciirtjis ■ snould be imposed upon opsratdrs'' which. i aw essential to the sound and conservative silviculture management -of'thei.orest_; and/as; far' as pfacticbble.rtae conditions of exploitation should, bn cadapted to^the established and .'v.ec^sdvr methods of logging and'-milline iij^the region. .:'..• .: ', :' ; :,'.-■ : ■■*.;,'':\-'" : ■ . ' •.■■'• C6NlJlTlbkgyOP^ALia-VJ:"' '■ ; • "(1.3). All timber sales should be -subject to the foHowingj; -(a) • Ground-" rent.. (b) Royalty, (c)'" Forest-fife . protection charge (if desirable). .\.(d) Paynieniprall expenaes in connection with the survey, appraisal, and advertisement'of salei^e)' The furnishing of a bond or guarantea ( of performance, (f) Time limit of operations, (g) Provision for adequate penalties for non-observance of conditions ot sale and regulations.. (14) A revision of tho minihium rpya-lty schedule should be made without delay iri order that the Siate'3 interest maybe brought into lino with the current timber values. (15) By the end of the year 1923. all \ limber cut from Sfcato forests or' provisional State foi-ests should be scaled or measur-ed by licenced 'sealers (a license to be'granted by the Forest Service ta^ap-r plica-nts on proper examination, and approval). ■ (16) Adequate forest-fire protection safeguards should be -required in all timbe-raales." '■'■ '■' '"' • '; ;i