DENUDED FOREST AREAS.
POSITION ON MAIN TRUNK. SERIOUS DENUDATION ALLEGED. [BY TELEGRAPH.—<ITO COIIEBSPOXDIOT.] FALMEBSTON NORTH. Saturday. The position of the Main Trunk timber industry, as outlined in the Herald recently, has commanded a good deal of attention in Main Trunk districts, and it is generally admitted by authorities that white pine, which has largely been used for butter boxes and cheese crates, is being reduced so rapidly that at the present rate of demolition it will be a few years only when local forests will be cut out. Further information concerning the wholesale destruction of forest reserves, along the Main Trunk has been given by Mr. C. N. Clausen, of Palraerstxm North, who has just returned from a visit to the district in question. Mr. Clausen asserts that in four or five years' time millions of feet of splendid marketable timber will be wiped out altogether. He had closely inspected some of the areas upon which were totara,, rimu, and white pine, and found that sections almost in a virgin state were let to settlers, who at once set to worE and cut down the bush. This was going on within six miles of Owhanga, Taumarunui and Raurimu. Settlers went on to these sections, where it was impossible to get timber out, and they destroyed the bush. On the other hand the country was quite unsuitable for settlement, and the bad roads which abounded in the locality compelled the settlers to use two or three horses in dragging out their small output of home-separated cream to the factories. The whole scheme of settlement there, at the present time at any rate, was wrong, but 1 the great mistake was to allow good timber j to be sacrificed when it will be badly wanted in a few years, and apparently the Government was allowing it to go on without attempting to stop it. The country, owing to its high elevation, was cold, and bleak, and much more suitable land, could be got for settlement. In the Waikato, said Mr. Clausen, there was open country that would be ideal for thus purpose, and if settlement were en-; couraged there and in other similar locali-' ties, and our bush areas conserved, a good work would be done. The Main Trunk settlers could even do well if they waited ] and sold their timber on royalty basis, which brings in from one to three shillings per 100 ft, but he thought that to work this on the best system a number of millers should combine and tap the back country by means of tramways, as roads were out of the question in the present state of the country. In any case, anything should be done that would stay the present wanton destruction of timber. As showing how prices had advanced lately, Mr. Clausen said heart rimu was now quoted at 25s and 26s per 100 ft, white pine 7s 6d to 9s, and totara had advanced 2s per 100 ft a few months ago, and even at these quotations the supply was short and unreliable. He thought that pressure should be placed on the Government without delay, and something done in stay the inroads into our dwindling timber resources.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19161030.2.80
Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16373, 30 October 1916, Page 7
Word Count
534DENUDED FOREST AREAS. New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16373, 30 October 1916, Page 7
Using This Item
NZME is the copyright owner for the New Zealand Herald. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons New Zealand BY-NC-SA licence . This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of NZME. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Auckland Libraries and NZME.