GROW MORE TREES

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 16, 19 July 1923, Page 4

GROW MORE TREES

AtiVICE OF THE FORESTRY

LEAGUE

ANNUAL MEETING OF. MEMBERS

The annual meeting.of the New Zealand Forestry League was held in the Farmers' Institute buildings .last evening,- the president, Sir James G» Wil-£o-i;- occupying the chair before a good attendance of members. Apologies for aWjice were received from the Minister Sf State Forests, Sir Heaton Rhodes, theH Director of Forestry, Captain L. Macintosh.'Ellis, and Mr. ,B. Chambers, Hawkes Bay.

It was true, said the president, that the. league had no administrative powers'?in connection with forestry, it-was only; those who were .enthusiasts in forestry and nature study in general that formed the .membership. It was well known that there was a widespread de'siretlto grow timber trees for use on the^arm, and that was corroborated by lhe«-fact that the Forest Service had ann'wmced iliat there was a very great increase in the number of trees they wertt distributing, and that applications continued to grow,' yet the league was much in need of more members.

The planting of trees was brought forcibly, before the country every day now" that, electric power boards were daiiy entering into contracts for poles. NoCa day should, 1)6. lost in making, a. star£ to p'laiit" trees suitable for this purf)£>se."'- N;ew- Zealand had only one native species which could be used, viz., silver pine,--but it was scarce arid did not t-'Stand the same strain as the eucaly'pt^V.used.••.•although :.quite suitable for general purposes. Thai, of the West Coast of ■■ the South. Island was. almost worked out, and the £>tate. in that' matter^ should be the pioneers. It wr.s doubtful if the climate of much of New Zealand was;suitable for the growth of theY best'species for pole purposes, 'but there must be "a large area in the North suitable, aiid only awaiting planting. There had.':bcen. so many disappointments when .imported. Australian poles \iav£ been used that the utmost care was'; necessary to ascertain the proper varieties .Jq grow. ■■'••' ;■, ' : - • 19 an article"' lately published in ."Board and Council," tho writer, a power board : inquirer, stressed the fact that after the "most careful inquiries— jreatly assisted by. the Forestry^ Department in. New South Wales—he came to the conclusion to specify only three varieties, E. Paniculata, E. Crebra, and E. Siderophloia, natives of New South Wales or Queensland. The late Sir David Hutchins advised that E. Corynibosa, should beVplanted : north of Auckland to supply sleepers, but its habit, it had been said, rendered it unsuitable' for. .poles, though extremely durable; j^TKera'ate. others whichwere recomjnehded, but those three species stood out-on their own strength and durability.". If the Government would procure seed true to name and plant a plot; for demonstration purposes,' many would n0..; doubt, follow suit. Given suitable land-and climate and a success-' fill plantation,., in. twenty or thirty years from planting.such polesi would be worth £1 apiecej7 4;and.--planted'; i .six feet.apart there ivould^e.^l^lOitreesTtb the "acre: ' •

It^wc^^e'^ell jif the. Forestry Service'^ werJKHo-*msfce vc~areful'inYestigation as to the-ies&timbers' to .grow.for this purpose in'-'c^njuncjibn with .the-Forestry Department in the Various States bf'Aus : tralrii., While those>.:mentio^ed were undoubtedly suitable, the'supply:;of these,-: owing to the great number-required,-, would soon bo scarce. In accordance] with, their usual- habitat-they might require to be grown in the warmer districts in New Zealand, but it might be that ■ some variety, quite durable and suitable for pole purposes, might be found in Tasmania, and if so, could no doubt be grown in southern districts. If this investigation were made and an authentic report published, it might be ' the smeaJi6 of saving a very large sum to N,ew-Zealand.' Already many poles had^'had to be renewed after a very short service, and there Were signs that . many more would soon have to be replaced."!.. . *;.""'H" . . '• -. ■ Whilst, rjt' undoubtedly : was'a' wise thing for local' bodies to plant any reserves otherwise unused, there were few authorities which had any land for that.purpose. They found that the requirement of making and keeping the roads in order already more than absorbed the funds at their disposal, and any increase of rates was much object- ) ed to. *In some districts, however, New Zealand-local .'bodies, where they had reserves-, suitable for the purpose, had wisely planted them with useful trees, which were already giving good service. Most local bodies realised the importance of."planting for timber purposes. Even the sand dunes, of which there were some three hundred odd thousand acres on the West Coast of the North Island, were either under private ownership; or 'State-owned, but if some of these were handed over to the local bodies no doubt they would make a greftt endeavour, to'see that they were planted. The first person: Who suggest? j ed 4hat they should be used for this j purpose was the late Thomas M'Kenzie, of Carnarvon, son of one of pur pioneer settlers in Rangitikei, and ever since he made" the suggestion there had been continued interest taken in furthering the,";object! Before the war the Lands Department took the matter in hand, arid-an. official was sent from Eotorua to begirt the work! He would soon have,; made headway had not the war intervened and the work stopped. There were, however, a few trees still standing to show the beginning of the.work. The State' Forest. Service, under Sir Heatbn Khbdes, himself a tfue lover of trees, administered about seven-and-a-lialf, million acres of forest, but there were still large areas of native-owned and' Crown forests which it was essential in the interests of the State should be brofight under the control of the servicet Most of such areas were, indeed, only mountain forests. of little direct commercial value, but they were of the highest importance from the fact that thef functioned in the direction of mini-, mising floods'" oh the valuable agricultural lowlands, erosion, deriundation, and the up of streams and harbours. They also provided recreational resorts for the people and had .a definite effect,in moderating climate. /These.'.".mountain! forests iri some cases might be gradually: converted to commercial forests, but in any ''case^they. required expert management to protect them.from fires, trespass by stock, game poachers, and destructive wild animals. They should therefore be administered by the State Forest Service. KEPORTITOF THE EXECUTIVE. The operations of the league during the past:year, stated the report Of the executiye,-had been, without - doubt, to foster an increasing interest in the res-. tora'uiorT and""preservation of. New Zea-. land's forests. The year had been ah active .one for.the executive, and in addition: 'to.:the usual monthly meeting* several- special meetings were held for considering various important questions. During the year the league sustained a, loss in the departure for Samoa- of, Gea>-,

eral Richardson, whose advice" and. valuable services had always been readily forthcoming. There was little doubt that Mr. Will Lawson's efforts in. thedkecV tion of organising had resulted in-a very Widespread and increasing interest in the work of the league, and a deepening' sense of the importance to posterity of establishing a sound and progressive* for--est policy. The league's magazine had been issued regularly, and had contribur ted extensively to the cause, of forestry; The scope of the magazine liticl been widened considerably so as to include mountaineering and out-of-door sports, arid that had enlisted many more supporters of the league's efforts. It was confident-, ly hoped sufficient support would b« forthcoming to enable publication to ha continued,. Efforts were being- made to. interest the Railway and Tourist De- ; partments in its support. For some time efforts had been directed towards the preservation of the silver pine forests in the Tongariro National Park and a deputation had waited upon the Minister in that respect, ami during the year active steps had been taken to prevent the destruction antl t.n secure the preservation or any reserve* which were in danger of being destroyed, and steps had been taken to secure', protection for. a giant pohutukawa tret) on Mayor Island, and also a giant,kauri in the Auckland province. A letier was sent to the Minister of Railways drawing Ills attention to the danger of destroying plantations alongside railways, and expressing the hope that special el-, forts would be made to avoid this when clearing railway reserves of grass and other growths. . • . ...

. As an indication of the increasing interest being taken in forestry, a. communication was received from the Dominion,headquarters of the Boy Scouts' Association, advising of a proposal, to establish ' Hangers' and Conservators' badge's. .■• The tests were considered'too drastic and were modified, the league's' support being given to the modified conditions. As a result of a request from. St. -Ahdvew's-'College, Christehurch, -the executive was considering the possibility of.giving forestry clubs .soma form of affiliation. By stimulating thus the interest of the younger generation in tlm cause of forestry the "league should 'he able to count on a solid -backing in tlin future, ; '■:"' Z'

As might have been'expected, after a strenuous year, the funds at the league's disposal had been somewliat-'sadly depleted, nevertheless the year had ended with a surplus of £27 13s 4d. In order to augment the iunds "street sale day": was" being arranged, and - supporters of the league are urged .to make, donations of shrubs, plants, etc.. for sale in tiiß streets. The funds of the league should, benefit considerably, and the 'publicity secured should give an impetus to forestry in Wellington. Referring to the latter section of the report, Mr. A. L. Hunt suggested that Arbour Day might very well be revived iri New Zealand, perhaps under a new name,. Forestry Day, that the public, and particularly the children, might bo given a greater interest in one of the Dominion's really great needs,.the conservation and preservation of its for- ' ELECTION. OF OFFICERS. Sir James Wilson was unanimously reelected president of the league, and the following were elected members' of the council of the league under the new rules, two additional members to be appointed at .the next meeting of the council:—Messrs. A., ;L. ■ Hunt, *W. H. ■ Field, M.P., T. Ward, D. P.. Hbggard, A. Seed, F. W. Furkett, L. Macintosh Ellis* and J. Orchiston. Following the completion of, the formal business of the meeting an interesting explanation, illustrated by numerous lantern slides, of the aims and general methods of modern forestry was given by.Mr. A., Hannsson, chief inspector oi -New Zealand forests. „: