AN AMERICAN IN AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13649, 17 January 1908, Page 7

AN AMERICAN IN AUSTRALIA.

QUESTION OF TIMBER ' CONSERVATION. Mr. E. A. Fac/.knkr, of the Santa Fe railway system, at present on a visit to Sydney, speaking to a press representative, remarked Uiafc he was astonished at the vast possibilities before the country. While not unapjireciative of the beauties of Port Jackson, Mr. Faulkner looked below the surface, and in the harbour he saw _ the finest possible . opportunity for a maritime nation. Sydney was destined to be the emporium of the Pacific; her future as a great seaport was absolutely assured. The railways naturally interested the visitor, and he contended that New South Wales should be congratulated on its railway service. So far as the transcontinental railway was concerned, the experience of Canada was instructive. British Columbia entered the union on the understanding that a railway would connect the Pacific with the Atlantic. Nov/ there were no le.<« than three railways . across Canada. Mr. Faulkner said his visit was principally directed towards Australian timber. The enterprise of Mr. Allen Taylor had brought Australian hardwood under notice. These timbers were undoubtedly the best for railways sleepers. They could be grown in America, and they realised that they must make provision for the future. Their hardwoods were cut out. New South Wales had a valuable asset in her timber, and by conserving her forests should avoid the straits of American consumers. Tho Royal Commission inquiring info the timber industry would do .a lot to improve the future outlook for local timbers. It was his conviction that unless the forests were conserved, Australia would be in tho same straits as America. Australians would not give Nature a chance to replenish her denuded forests. They would chop down a tree to get the seeds. Valuable timbers were wasted wholesale, and it meant burning the candle at both ends. There was plenty of room for more population in Australia. Thorough advertising should bring the immigrants needed. America was now in a position to examrn« all the immigrants arriving, and to refuse all undesirables. Before she had to take ail and sundry. They considered every immigrant to be worth a thousand dollars; and he thought that Australia was starting at the wrong end by examining and questioning all arrivals. Wait'till they had 30 or 40 million people, then they could pick and choose. All Australia wanted was population.