LATE DOMINION NEWS.

Mataura Ensign, 19 March 1913, Page 2

LATE DOMINION NEWS.

the forestry commission. EVIDENCE OF MR ELL, M.P. OHRISTCHURCH, March 18. The Forestry Commission held its first sitting to-day, when the evidence was taken of Mr H. G. Ell, M.P.. who said that there was a great need for more tree-planting through the length and breadth of the country, and he thought that it should not be limited to any particular province. Within the province of Canterbury there was a State forest, and tliis was also the case in certain other parts. The people of Canterbury would, therefore, have to pay the cost of the transport of timber from other parts, unless they had State forests in their midst. At present the Hnwke's Bay, Taranaki, Wellington and Canterbury people would have to draw their supplies from the plantations at Hanmer, and yet there was poor land in all these localities, which would be suitable for planting purposes. Ho was not in a position to discuss the cost of planting tnese lands. The tim-ber-millers, however, had found it profitable to cut timber off precipitous country. Taranaki farmers in a very few years would have to go far afield to secure even posts for fencing. He would advocate the encouragement of the planting of shelter belts by setters. There would need to be supervision in order that the right trees would lie planted. The Chairman: Such shelter belts might bo exempted from taxation. Mr Ell: Yes. In answer to the chairman he said that there should bo restricted areas for deer. Th©y should not be allowed to roam at large. Dr Cockayne: Do you think that deer should be allowed to roam over tho Waimakairi National Park, which is one of the most important climatic reserves in the Dominion? Mr Ell: No.

Continuing, Mr Ell said that an experienced forester should be connected with every Land Board to superintend matters connected with forestry. J^ T Cockayne said that it would be difficult to secure such officials. Scientific forestry was practically a now science in the British Empire. "Do you think," ho asked, "that we should get young men trained properly as scientific foresters?"

Mv Ell: I do. Forestry is one of the I most neglected sciences in the DominI ion. Mere planters of trees are not •enough. We want men that know the different kinds of soil, etc. The witness proceeded to quoto from a Government report of 1907, which showed that at the present time their oldest State planted trees were only 13 .years of age. The estimate of the Department's officers was that at the earliest it would be 50 years before these trees were ready for commercial purposes, and that it might even be 100 years, and as it would be so long before these trees became ready for use, and as they were drawing so heavily upon, their national forests, there was a great necessity for more attention being devoted to planting Evidence was also given by Messrs Edward Herring Rich, G. Gray, J. C. Helmore, J. H. Maynard, Dr Morten Anderson, Dr Chas. Chilton and Mr W. 33. Buck hurst. the prime minister. SOUTH CANTERBURY TOUR. n , _ . , TIMAR.TT. March 18. Ine 1 rime Minister spent most of today m a motor far. Leaving Temul-a eurlv m the morning, he ce.mo t ;) Timaru where a party of e - ght cars went south, nvst to the T/ l- lo Pa.roon.t Vullov to sect the countrv where the h'-inoh raiway is desired, then down to Ofcaio and Makikihi to i : >« *>un*n road, thence to Morven and im ' Waitaki Valley w W cl t!? p O'T/,' tlv ' TJiwer Waikakahi Settlement, Waihorunga, Douglas and Allan-Holme Settlements to Waimate, where Mr Massey dined and gave an address. ~ .deputation pointed out that at the limamiga Extension Settlement the rentr: fixed.were too hisrh and the Jimaunga settlers asked for'a reduction. To-morrow Mr Messev will visit Timaru and coen the Boys' High School. He will lie entertained at a social in the evening. AT WAIMATE. WAIMATE, March 18. The Prime Minister visited this <Tisdistrict to-day. He motored from Temuka. and passed through the country districts, amonjr others being Makik'hi, Redcliffe. Waihorunga and Wailiao Downs. He had a public reception at Waimate in the, afternoon, dined with the Borough and County Councils in the evening, and addressed a publi" meeting to a large audience. He said he felt thankful for the cordial reception, and expressed pleasure at addressing so representative a gathering. They were now closer friends than they were a fortnight ago when he commenced his Canterbury tour. He then went on to sneak on the same lines as. in his Christchurch address. Dealing with the land question, he said that his Government had carried out its policy of giving the option of the freehold. It had also encouraged settlers to pay ofF mortgages. It had secured the opportunity for sottlers to purchase the freehold, but was not taking the leasehold away. He then nroeeeded to review the Southland land case as alreadv dealt by him. in his recent speeches. He referred to the uopulatiou of the country being less than in the towns, and it was ior the Government to remedy this by increasing the producers and (pmttino- the people on the land and to encourage land .settlement. This he intended to do and the land laws were better today than when he took office. Dealing with finance, he mentioned the success in floating the recent loan. The Government claimed that it had placed the finances in a greatly improved position, and that Mr Allen had been able to arrange for short-dated debentures and secure money at a lower rate of interest. Speaking on reform of the Legislative 'Council. he said he wquM yet have the Council made elective. He approved of compulsory train ins: and asked the anti-militarists for the. good of the country to give assent to the scheme. A vote of thanks was enthusiastically carried. Mr Massey, in expressed ■satisfaction, and said that it was the best meeting he had addressed. He will meet several deputations tomorrow morning. A DISTRESSING CASE. WELLINGTON. March 18. A distressing ense cat"b' furo Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid lvard to-day. A ronsu patient w-nte askinsr for work or if nwrssnrv further sanatorium treatment. He said

that he was 26 years of age; his wife was 25, and his son two years. He had had about 11 months' hospital and sanatorium treatment and had derived considerable benefit. He was discharged from Otaka Sanatorium on September 11 last, and had no settled work since, only some tenijwrary employment of a healthy natfire. Though friends had interested themselves in his behalf, they were unsuccessful in getting work for inm. He feared that the tuberculosis was getting the ujwer hand again. His wife had been operated on for internal trouble, which was found to be tuberculosis, while the child had .been weakly all its life, though he now seemed to have taken a {-urn for the better. The man said that he was now endeavoring to place his child in a home, where he would have a chance to grow strong and healthy, which he could not do so long as he remained with two persons who were more or less tuberculous subjects. The man asked for a chance to work to maintain his famliy decently in healthy surroundings. "I really believe," he added, '"that some people would as soon employ a lejier as a consumptive." The secretary of the Board had replied that as no farm colonies wore yet established assistance could not be given. It was decided to communicate with the Public Health Department to see if tlie man oould be admitted to the Cambridge Sanatorium and some arrangement made to assist the wife and child. j HURRICANE SUVA. | AUCKLAND. March 18. The Union Steam Ship Company has been advised that the Toiua's departure "for Auckland has been delayed owing to a hurricane at Suva thi s morning. No further particulars are available, but the inference is that the damage is trilling.