FORESTRY LEAGUE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 102, 1 May 1924, Page 3

FORESTRY LEAGUE

WELLINGTON BRANCH

IDEALS. AND ACHIEVEMENTS;

The annual meeting of the Wellington Branch of the New Zealand Forestry League took place last evening, the pre-' sident, Mr. D. K. Koggard, in the chair.

In the course of the annual report, the committee notified progress made during' the year. Ward island has been proclaimed a public recreation ground, and an endeavour would be made to plant the island with suitable trees, and thus beautify one of the most barren spots in Wellington for a great number of years.

The several suggestions made to the City Council during the year for. the conservation of trees were noted. Congratulations were extended to the Technical College in planting several hundred trees and shrubs 'at Mount Cook in the vicinity of the new buildings. Members would be astonished to see what a'small area was left of native forest. The two strong factors which emphasised "the loss of the bush were severe droughts and disastrous floods, but these facts were realised too late. The. executive hoped that good results would be-achieved by the movement in-' itiatetf for the establishment of a State Forest Purchase. Fund, for the purpose of enlarging the forests and protecting the streams that flowed from them.

The- balance-sheet showed a small credit balance of £7 3s sd. -

Mr. ■A. Leigh Hunt, in the course of tlie discussion, urged the necessity for a definite plan in dealing.with the Town Belt and its afforestation. He also 'urged that something should be done with the hills of the Hutt Valley: The value of forestry was seen by the fact that some of the towns in Scandinavia were living entirely free of rates, and: in some cases were actually receiving an income from' the revenues from their forests. The league might feel that its ■work had' not been wasted, though sometimes they might feel impatient that progress was not quicker. . The president remarked that the Hiitt Valley Power Board might very well go in for afforestation to provide for a future supply of poles. He agreed that local bodies,in the Hutt Valley should be encouraged to plant trees. The meet-, ing should voice a-protest against the cutting down of trees in the city by the authorities. ■

The annual report was adopted, together with the balance-sheet:

The election of officers resulted as follows:—Mr. D. R. Hoggard (re-elected, unanimously), president; Mr. T. Ward, vice-president; Mr. W. D. B. Ferguson, honorary treasurer; Mr. R. T. M. Edmonds, secretary; the outgoing committee was re-elected. The members of the committee are: Messrs. L. T. Watkins, 0. N. Gillespie, E. J. Righton, A. C. Atkinson, F. S. Pope, F. W. Vosseler, W. H. Denton, Miss E. Richardson. Captain Sanderson introduced the subject <3f the importance of preserving the native forest.'. Its chief enemies were fire and animals and the hand of many Animals in the forest meant its slow destruction. Without the native bird the forest could not' continue to be propagated.

The president cordially agreed with the contention' that forests were far more important from a climatic point- of view than from the point of view of mere timber. He thought the forest could be saved best by opening the forest more to the sportsman A little game would, do no harm, but when deer and other game multiplied almost irreparable damage was done. Mr. Leigh Hunt urged that a campaign should be organised to provide for the planting of waste spaces on farms with trees. Farmers should be encouraged-in ever}' way to do this.;. : ... The president said that a good deal was already being done, especially in the planting of exotic trees. It was the ■protection of the indigenous forest- that' was more essential.

Members: Hear, hear. ' '. A member: "Nobody could get specially enthusiastic over pinus insignis. That's a purely commercial -venture." • Mr.- Denton moved that the Te Aro irogressive League should be asked!to consider the advisability of not encouraging the decorating, of . streets with mkau palm and fern branches.' : .'■ The motion was adopted unanimously. ■ The meeting also resolved to ask the City Council, through a deputation to proceed with the proposal for the development of the Town Belt on a definite plan.

A Forestry Day is to be held during the year for the purpose of encoura^in? the planting of trees. . .r