REAFFORESTATION

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 10093, 4 September 1925, Page 7

REAFFORESTATION

PRELUDE TO SUCCESS

DEER MUST EE EXTERMINATED

GOVERNMENT ELANS THIRTY YEARS AHEAD. IPRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 3. The Minister in Charge of the Forestry Department (Sir H. Rhodes) laid on the table of the House this afternoon the annual report of the Department,, which raised disduss'.on on the subject of reafforestation. Mr. Forbes said lie feared the Forestry Deportment was regarded by Ministers generally as the “Cinderella of Public Departments,” They felt this Department was dealing only with problems of years to come and not problems of to-day. Therefore, they were unwilling to glvo it the support it deserved. If they would hr ng down some comprehensive scheme in future, Ministers wouici find the House would give them all tho support they could desire. Mr. Hudson urged the need o' an energetic policy of re-afforestation to rein force wasting timber areas. Mr. de !a Perrelle voiced the claims of Southland for some, evidence of tins Department’s goodwill. Ho said that at least £IO,OOO should ho set as de for re-afforestation work in that part of the Dominion. Sir G. Hunter uttered a warning against the depletion of timber areas on the slopes of the Ruahine Ranges, which deplet’on was having a jjery serious affect on the climate of Hawke’s Bay. Mr. Side.y declared there was no crop wli’ch could he put mto land that would give employment to more labor than forest trees.

The Hon. W. Nosvvorthy snici there was a complementary problem to forestry, and that was to got rid of the deer menace. Unless this was clono it was only a waste of money to go on planting trees which tho deer would destroy as fast as they were p anted. He asked members to back up the Government in dealing with the eradication of deer as a preliminary to re-afforestation. Mr Smith complained that Taranaki was neglected by the Forestry Department. In 1924 not a single tree was planted in ' that province. He, however, congratulated the Department upon its efforts to arouse the interest of children in forest trees.

Mr. Hockley joined in a protest against the destruction worked by deer, and also warned the House against the possible damager of increase of opossums. These animals he su'd, would not l.ve on air. Discussion was carried on by Messrs Linkiater. Corrigan, Langstone, Fie d, Edie and McKay. The Minister, in reply, sa d the ultimate aim of the Forestry Department was to furnish this country w.th a suppy of t mber, and tIW they hoped to do in thirty years’ time. The Department was now- able to pay its o\\ n way, and had a considerable sum in hand! They had done a great deal of workyior the benefit of the Dominion. which in years to come would give goofl financial return.