TIMBER ROYALTIES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 31 July 1924, Page 5

TIMBER ROYALTIES

DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS

FROM COUNTY COUNCILS

(United Preen Association.)

WELLINGTON, This Day

The question of timber rdoyalties for the maintenance of county roads was the subject of a deputation to members of tiie Government this morning. Some 34 county councils were represented and 30 membe.-s of Parliament were associated with the deputation, which was received by Sir Francis Bell in the absence of Air Alasse.y Other Ministers present were Sir 11. Rhodes and Mr McLeod. The point, of view of local bodies was that ever since 1905, when the Act regarding royalties going to local bodies for road maintenance was passed, local bodies considered they had a claim to royalties, which many of them had been unable to get. The deputation desired that local bodies should ho paid back the royalties. It. was also asked that an advisory board should be set, up as provided for in the Forestry Act 1921. In many portions of New Zealand where there was heavy timber country the land was not as valuable as in other parts, consequently when timber was removed local bodies could not collect rates sufficient to maintain the roads if royalties were not forthcoming. The local bodies have to fall back on the Consolidated Fund. Sir Francis Bell, replying, said Cabinet had not yet considered the report of the Timber Royalties Commission, and when doing so it would be a great advantage to have before it the criticism of local bodies. The representations of those bodies would have just as full consideration as the report of Ihc commission. The question wsa a difficult one, but speaking as former Commissioner of State Forests he asked 'fam to remember that jt was a matter for the "treasury entirely, because the revenue derived from State forests now passed into the Treasury. With regard to revenue derived from forests by the legitimate operations of the Forestry Department, he said that counties should have a portion of it. They must not, regard it ns a fact, that the State forest policy was itself in effect depriving local authorities of revenue except to a minor extent. The matter would be considered fully when Cabinet came to deal with the question as to how the revenue derived from the department’s operations was to he disposed.