AN IDEAL COUNTRY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 19 January 1926, Page 4

AN IDEAL COUNTRY.

7 AFFORESTATION IN NEW ZEALAND. i VIEWS OE SIR DOUGLAS MAWSON. i “Please understand that I am not a shareholder in any company, or monetarily concerned with these treemanting companies,” said Sir Douglas Mawson. the well-known scientist and explorer, who is visiting Wellington. “The position is that some of these companies, and in particular the New Zealand Perpetual Forests. Ltd., have been selling shares in Australia up to the vaiue or about a million sterling, and on behalf of those people who have invested 1 am over here to see if it is all 0.K.” Having thu» explained his position. Sir Douglas Mawson said he bad not been in the country long enough to speak authoritatively on the subject he was interested in. He had just <ompleted a short journey through from Auckland, examining the areas .which had been planted by forestry companies. in particular the New Zealand l erpetual Forests, Ltd., and those districts in the thermal region which had been afforested by the Government, 'limber trees in great variety (some -•J varieties in all) hall been planted, including larch, western yellow pine. Californian redwood, and Oregon pine (Douglas fir). Larch predominated and all appeared to be doing well in varying degrees. Sir Douglas Mawson said that pinus insignis was a quickgrowing tree that was not to he despised. . but it must not be the one | with the out Hung branches, which so frequently was to be found in hedges. / Jt should be grown close together inf plantations in suitable ground, so that the trunks would rise straight and (lean and tree ol knots. Such timber "as useful for hundreds of things, and in South Australia was oven being used extensively in joinery work. Douglas Mawson thought the New Zealand Government wise in hav-

ing a forestry policy, for it was quite evident that the days of the native lorests were numbered, which made it an economic necessity to plant artificially For the future requirements of liie country. Already New Zealand was importing large quantities of timber from overseas. How much more would ba\e to be imported in 25 or 50 .seals J the afforestation of tlie country was neglected Y The increasing demand for land for farming ensured the i eduction, if not the elimination, of native lorests. and the proportion of good lumber in the forests that remained was not what it was when millers could pick and choose the best areas for milling.purposes. Thus it was inevitable tliat they must look more and more to the plantations of to-day for their timber supplies of to-morrow. The Forestry Department of New Zealand had laid the basis for private people to work upon. The growth of all timber trees liad been satisfactory, and it seemed to him that not only was New Zealand a fine country for white people to live in. but it was an ideal limher-growing country. A good many people in Australia had become interested in the business of commercial tree-planting in the Dominion,

and naturally wished to know if it was all right. ‘T don’t know that there could be a much better country all round,” he remarked. “You have a good rainfall, though you have been having a dry time in some parts, which is not usual. There is great humidity, and you have a considerable longitudinal range of country to help you in the growing of different varieties of timber. There is always the risk of fire, but there again New Zealand, with its humidity and moderate temperatures, is less likely to offer chances than some countries. Fire protection is one of the steady expenses in connection with reafforest, ation in any country, and fire-breaks and patrols (by air and otherwise) are the usual thing in forest areas in America. In some places as much as lOs per acre per annum is charged up against plantation areas for fire prevention and subjection. There companies can insure their plantations. Von insure your trees just as you do your bouse!”