TIMBER CONSERVATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17275, 26 September 1919, Page 7

TIMBER CONSERVATION.

GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS.

OPINION OF AUTHORITY

MAINLY ON RIGHT LINES

The intentions of the Government in respect to the conservation of the Dominion's timber supplies, as outlined in the Financial Statement, were yesterday submitted to Mr. S. I. Clarke, who was a member of the Forestry Commission in lslo, and of the Timber Commission in luOy, tor an opinion as to whether they were on the right lines. They undoubtedly were, in the main, he said, from t.he fact that they showed a recognition of the importance of providing lor the future wants of the country in the matter of keeping up the supplies, and that they laid down definite proposals to deal with the question. Whether the details of the proposals would be on the best lines, said Mr. Clarke, required some considerable examination and analysis. For instance, the State purchase or hire of sawmills, and the State purchase of private lands for forestry purposes. In a general way he considered the State would do better to provide for the harvest, and not to do the harvesting. In other words, the Government should provide the growing timber, and allow it to be harvested on commercial lines, the same as any other product. There would be a better prospect of success under such a system. Private enterprise could not be done away with altogether. • Prevention of Monopoly. So long as there were ample supplies in the harvesting of timber, it would be easy to prevent any organised capture of supplies by monopolists or trusts. There would be ample time to arrange a proper basis of competition during the growth and regrowth of the forests. The Government could, no doubt, do very well by milling in quite a number of cases, especially with regard to the existing natural forest*. Mr. Clarke, however, said he doubted the wisdom of setting apart and planting large areas with the avowed purpose of making it a State business from start to finish.

With regard to the setting apart of Crown lands as provisional State forests, Mr. Clark * said certainly that must be done. There was no alternative. Other- ; wise the argument that the use of the ' land was being prevented for the sake of a few trees would be advanced, with the object of having all the public lands turned into use for grazing or similar purposes. Concerning the Government's intention to -limit or prohibit the export of timber Jrom New Zealand he said that limitation of export was. already imposed. The sooner it became prohibition the better for the Dominion. There was, of course, always the difficulty that in dealing with prohibition in connection with timber exportation New Zealand was not independent of Australia in the matter of hardwood, and if export from here were prohibited it might reasonably be expected this country would receive the same treatment in return. That was all the more reason, in his opinion, why New Zealand should, as soon as possible, set about producing what it required itself, so that it could be independent of Australia or any other country. Timber on Private Lands. As to the regulation of the sale or cutting of timber on public or private lands, Mr. Clarke said that, as far as publiclands were concerned, it would be a fairly easy matter, as the Government had the right to say what should be done with the country's property in that respect. In regard to private lands, however, the conditions to be prescribed would require very careful consideration. The proposed appointments of a director and an assistant-director of forestrv from among English applicants was referred to by Mr. Clarke. He expressed the opinion that, for the purposes of organisation and the establishment of the Department on » good footing, it would be desirable to have a well-qualified man with European experience. He could see no necessity, however, for appointing two of them. He thought any further assistance in the matter of control and management, might very readily be obtained in New Zealand. In regard to the officer who might be appointed, it would be of tremendous importance, as to what influences governed the appointment. A man might' be selected with the best of motives and intentions, hut unless his appointment, was under review by someone with a knowledge of New Zealand timber industries it might prove to be a wrong step, after ail, to get even the chief officer from Britain.