AREA AT MANGONUI.

Northland Age, Volume 2, Issue 4, 28 January 1930, Page 2

AREA AT MANGONUI.

CR. WRATHALL REQUESTS REPORT. A plea for the afforestation of a block of land at Mangonui was put before the Hon. W. B. Taverner at Awanm last Thursday evening by Cr. R. T. Wrathall. The area in question was on the side of the block farthest from Mangonui, and would not affect settlement, Cr. Wrathall stated, and was protected by natural firebels in the form of the river and roads. He sincerely hoped the two experts with the Minister would endeavour to have a report made by the Fields Inspector. It a small area was not suitable, he thought there would be no difficulty in obtaining the right to plant the kauri gum reserve.

“I have not previously heard ot this area,” said the Minister, “but it it is no larger than has been stated it is entirely out of ihe question as a unit of commercial afforestation. The department’s policy is to go into no area of less than 10,000 acres in one block, for when tlie timber has grown the working of a small area would not pan out very successfully.

“I will certainly have an inspection made it you would like a report,” he concluded, “but I want you to understand in advance that, while the figure of 10,000 acres is not really arbitrary, we could not undertake one or two thousand acres in one unit. We will probably decide on some scheme of investigation, but it will be for the whole northern peninsular,” He hoped to do something for this “treeless region,” and that, in common with other things, had largely been the object of his visit.