FORESTRY STAFF

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 15 December 1920, Page 8

FORESTRY STAFF

IMPORTANT APPOINTMENTS

PENDING

(Special to Star.)

WELLINGTON, Dec. 15. Much lias been written about the necessity for a well-defined policy for the conservation and the ' development of New Zealand's diminishing timber resources, and some voluminous reports have been prepared for the enlightenment of legislators. However, the actual forestry policy of the Government lias not yet .been made known, though it is now obvious, from the -ong list of appointments to be filled in connection with the new Department of Forestry, that the Government has made up its mind to do something extensive. The positions to be filled indicate that the Government has adopted some or the suggestions of its experts, and that the Dominion will be divided into seven forest regions, each in charge of a capable forest conservator, who will have a good deal of executive authority without the necessity of constant reference to Wellington. The Conservators of Forests for Auckland and Westland are to be paid a minimum of £700 per annum, while the Invercargill officer' will receive £600. to commence. 'Hie proposed regions in charge of Conservatorg are Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, in the North Island, and Nelson, Canterbury-Otago, Westland, an 3 Invercargill in the South. The Oanter-bury-Otago and Rotorua positions can be tilled with, competent forestry officers* already in State employ. Theso officers will settle local matters on the spot. They will be responsible for pro- i tective measures, opening up roads and tracks,, guarding against fires and tres, I pass, and control of local sales of timber. Under them will be a number of rangers, each with a well-defined sphere of work". Some of the head office appointments are indicative of a forward move. An | expert and experienced timber-man is rej quired, also jin. officer who is described ] as Engineer 'in Forest Products. Hia J duty will..be to study the utilisation of | forest products and the best uses to j | which our timber can be put. It is be- ' lieved tliat a good deal of specifying of imported timber for special purposes ornild be avoided if engineers and architects knew authoritatively that there are certain varieties of New Zealand timbers suitable for the work. They must have exact scientific data, which it will be the duty of this officer to provide, thus opening up fresh avenues for the use of our own products. He will also investigate other aspects of the economic© of New Zealand forests. One of the educative phases of the Department's work will be the prevention of the use of our most valuable timbers for •purposes equally well served by a, less expensive variety. Kauri, for instance, is a rapidly diminishing asset. It has practically reached the stage when it | should not be used indiscriminately in houses when it is of much, greater value | for special purposes such as vat-«iaking. I To show the disadvantage of the present state of incomplete knowledge of New Zealand's forests products, a large contract 11 for tramway rolling-stock was completed in New Zealand by importing English ash for the tram coac'hwork, when a New Zealand timber, probably a southern beech, would have been equally durable and handsome. To secure this much-needed data regarding the real extent of our forest wealth the Forestry Department haa commenced forest reeonnaisances. One is in progress covering the country between Lake Taupo and Hawke's Bay. Another will be done this summer between Blenheim and the most southern part of the Dominion, on the eastern side of the Southern Alps. This is all useful preliminary work, but" as New Zealand requires steady supplies of timber for its dwellings and industries, the general public will soon be asking for some definition of forest policy, and what system is to be evolved for making prompt use of our resources, having al_ ways a wise eye to the future.