THE FEILDING CHRONICLE AND ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, OCT. 11, 1879. FOREST AREAS.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 82, 11 October 1879, Page 3

THE FEILDING CHRONICLE AND ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, OCT. 1 1, 1879. FOREST AREAS.

FrolM the annual report of the Secretary of Crown Lands, we glean souie interesting particulars respecting the area of fort-st. on Crown Lands, exclusive of scrub, as eatimftted by the commissioners. We find* that the estimates give the following as tljte area m the various provincial districts 1,830,600 acres (of which. AO.OOO are kauri) ; Hawkes' Bay, 177- } 27;0 acres • Taranaki, 69^,000 acres; Wellington, i,ooo,oop.acres - y Nelson, 2,725,000 acres; J\|arlbbroiigh^ "220,000. acres'! Canter^ .bi^ryv -190,Opaacres ; West I and; 1,900,000 acres ; Otago, 1,421,000 acres i and Southland, 500*000 acres, giving, an aggregate area of 10,15.8i870 acres. We max'safely assume' that white pine con^ Btitutes fully one-tenth of thi.s-area--r pne-f^h we fancy would be nearer the

mark — and at this low estimate we fin^ that there are upward* of 1,000.000 acres of our forests affected by. the abolitionof the duty on foreign timber, the extent to which this large area will be injuriously affected, unless the duty be re-imposed, will best be gathered from the returns for the last three months — which have been promised at as early a date as possible — when they are produced. Had the late Ministry remained m office, there can be n"b question that the duty would have been reimposed, but with the Canterbury element 'so predominant m the newlyformed Administration, we have but little hope of the deserved consummation being achieved. The Liberal party, however, are strong and united, and will doubtless soon re-occupy the Treasury benches. A Liberal Ministry m which the late autocratic Premier holds no position would be sure to command a good working majority, and secure a long lease of office. Such being the case, we confidently expect yet to see the duty re-imposed before the close of the present Session.