Waipoua Questions Best Lett To Experts

Northern Advocate, 7 November 1946, Page 6

Waipoua Questions Best Lett To Experts

(Special) KAIKOI-IE, This Day. Varying opinions on the milling of Waipoua Kauri Forest were advanced at last night's meeting of the Kaikohe Chamber of Commerce.

The subject was opened by the president (Mr V. F. Cracknell) -who considered it was time the chamber formed a definite opinion for or against the felling of timber.

Mr L. W. Mchrtens believed the matter should be left to the experts. Chamber members were in the main amateurs on the subject. ’The experts are not out to destroy Waipoua and if we take the forest from them we certainly shall lose a national asset,” said Mr R. B. Marsh. He could take members to the Puketi Forest, where the Kauri Timber Company had taken out 39,000,000 feet of kauri, cutting trenches through the bush up to 12ft deep. At first, there had been only toitoi on these tracks; now-there were kauri rikas up to 20ft high. As amateurs, he believed the chamber should not criticise the forest experts. A leading hand from Waipoua had told him that the only green trees taken out were trees uprooted by the wind.

■ Mr N. Mays shared Mr Marsh’s view and said the greatest hazard was fire. Nature blew down trees and scarred the bush but regenerated it. Man left much dead wood about and caused a greater fire hazard. However, that hazard could be controlled.

WHAT WAS NATURE’S WAY? Mr Cracknell wondered whether Nature in her own way destroyed kauri forests. Was man’s hand necessary to preserve them? Mr E. B. Berry: The experts themselves are not agreed on Waipoua how can we give a view?

Mr G. Stephenson said the only way a kauri would blow down was through the wind getting into the forest—and a logging track was an excellent means of getting it in.

Mr J. Ware said he had seen most of the forest and felt criticism was unjustified. He moved that the chamber take no action in the current controversy. Mr H. F. Guy seconded and the motion was passed without dissent. However, it was agreed to send representative members, if possible, to join with the local body party of inspection on November 14.