THE VANISHING KAURI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15262, 28 March 1913, Page 8

THE VANISHING KAURI.

TIMBER INDUSTRY DYING.

PRICES INCREASING RAPIDLY.

[BY telegraph.—special REPORTER.] Dargaville, Thursday. It will not be many years before the kauri forests of the North axe altogether depleted. Further and further back the axemen are going. No trouble is spared to push the logs down to the nearest rail or waterway, and where only two years ago in some instances stood giant kauri trees there are now primitive homesteads, with cattle on the hills round about-

Yesterday the Hon. W. Fraser and his party made a trip into the heart of the timber country in the Northern Wairpa districts, when it was seen that the clearance that is being made day by day will very eoon leave the hills" barren and desolate. A visit waa made to a, 50-acre cluster of kauri trees, known as Kauri Park, which formerly belonged to Mr. C. Trounson, bat which was handed over to the State recently. The quality of the kauri trees is. disappointing. The ravages of fire have left the dump scarred : and patchy, but notwithstanding this the value of the timber is estimated at _ £17,000. The Ministerial party was within & mile to-day of the Waipoua State forest, but shortage of time prevented a visit being made, or even a glimpse of the big bush area being obtained. To show the present value of the kauri timber industry it is only necessary to mention that a log which was cut out of the bush in the vicinity of Donnelly's Crossing this week, measuring 6ft in diameter and 14ft long has an estimated value in the rough of £20. Every week the price of kauri is increasing, but every week the timber is becoming more scarce, and at the present rate the experts consider that five vears will see the complete depletion; of the trees, as far as their value for I an industry is concerned.