FORESTRY SERVICE

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 March 1929, Page 3

FORESTRY SERVICE

OFFICERS’ CONFERENCE. WELLINGTON, March 13. Officials of the State Forest Service are holding their eighth annual conference in Wellington, and before dealing with the order paper they were addressed by their ministerial head, tne Hon. W. B. Taverner, who made several important references to future developments. The Minister congratulated the honest Service upon its very fine effort, both in the progressive establishment of the department during the past ten years, and particularly upon, the carrying out of the current year’s attainments, in which a record programme had been completed. The short period which had elapsed since he had taken over the four departments of Railways, Customs, Publicity and Forestry, had been quite inadequate to enable him comprehensively to examine all of the many and far-reaching problems which lay within those administrations, more particularly with respect to forestry. He desired, however, to touch very briefly upon certain major aspects of immediate public interest. “The profitable utilisation of land,” continued Mr. Taverner, “is a subject which has a general application Throughout the Dominion, and a particular application regarding the utili-

sation of pumice lands for afforestation purposes. As I stated publicly at Matamata last month, while giving full credit to the Sttae Forest Service for the‘remarkable results which have been achieved, it is my intention to inaugurate a policy of closer co-opera-tion between the Departments of Lands, Agriculture and Forestry, which will have for- its object a definite scheme of demarcation and utilisation with regard to different areas. The Government desires that every possible effort should be made to increase primary production, and I trust we will shortly be in a position to give details of a land policy which will enable increased settlement upon small holdings. This will involve, however, comprehensive classification as be- 1 tween the lands suitable for agricul- 1 tural and pastoral pursuits and fores- ] try. The State Forest Service will 1 therefore confine its future activities 1 to areas which are not suitable for settlement.

“The financial aspects of the activities of this service are now under consideration by myself and my colleagues,” continued the Minister. “The Government is anxious to do its utmost to promote forestry within the funds available, but in view of the present condition of the Dominion’s finances and the necessity for devoting large sums to agricultural finance, a full justification of every section of funds appropriated for forestry purposes will be essential. At this stage I am not in a position to make a definite pronouncement as to the funds that can be made available, but a decision in this connection will be reached in the near future. One of the functions of these gatherings is, I understood, to enable each conservator to review in detail his budget for the approaching year, with a view to ensuring that each region’s plans are fully co-ordinated and formulated upon the basis of the minimum financial necessity. I would urge, therefore, that it is the fundamental duty of every officer to ensure that the public is receiving full value lor its expenditure, and I have no doubt you will keep this aspect constantly in mind during the approaching year as your projects develop. Many other important aspects of policy and management which I observe appear prominently upon your order paper are now under review by the Govern’ inent, as for example, wild life, sand dune fixation, and management of both exotic and indigenous forests. With respect to wild life, I am advised there is a large field for investigation and adjustment, and it is questionable whether the present organisations, as between the numerous Government departments and the acclimatisation societies, does not call for revision. The continuing encroachment of sand dune areas, particularly with respect to the west coast of the North Island, is a further aspect which must receive early attention.”