FOREST COMPANIES.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 201, 9 August 1927, Page 6

FOREST COMPANIES.

VICTORIAN MINISTER’S REMARKS STRONG EXCEPTION TAKEN. Wellington, Aug. 8. Strong exception was taken by the president of the .New Zealand Timber Growers. Mr \V. McArthur, to certain statements made recently by the Victorian Minister of Forests with regard to the operation of forest companies. The statements will probably be replied to later by the Hon O .J. Hawken The message from Melbourne was to the effect that the Minister had attacked the business methods of certain companies. These enterprises, he was reported to have said, claimed that high prices would be paid in the future for soft woods for pulping purposes, but in no part of the world was soft wood used for this purpose. Mr. McArthur said that the state, ments were absurd. ’ The principal sources of wood supply are Canada. Sweden. Finland, anil the United States where they produced almost entirely spruce or other distinctly soft woods. The Minister also stated that companies had been selling forestry bonds for £25 or £3O wliicli entitled the holder to timber on an acre of land, and whereas it had been claimed that the timber would be worth aboht £5OO in 20 to 30 years’ time, lie doubted if it would be worm £lO.

Mr. McArthur said that the Minister was apparently not acquainted with the possibilities in New Zealand and. amply demonstrated that the growing of timber in the Dominion under capable management wu s a profitable business and that the estimated values quoted could be amply substantiated by proof. The Minister might just as well contend that he doubted if in 20 or 50 years' time wool would be worth a halfpenny a pound. If forests were not going to be worth more, why were the Forestry Departments in the States of Australia, including Victoria, planting on an extensive scale If if was good business for the State it was better business for private enterprise,