CLAIMS OF FORESTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17942, 18 November 1921, Page 6

CLAIMS OF FORESTRY.

ADDRESS TO MEMBERS.

TREE FARMING INDUSTRY, [nr telegraph-special reporter.] WELLINGTON. Thursday.

With the object of making clear the views of the New Zealand Forestry League, the organiser. Mr. Will Lawson, addressed members of Parliament this afternoon. Mr. W. 11. Field (Otaki), who is a member of tho eiecutivo of the league, presided. Tho organiser asked his hearers to turn from the consideration of forestry in tho abstract, and to regard tho subject in the light of tree farming, an industry having as its object tho production of annual crops of timber. Summing up tho timber situation, Mr. Lawson said tho cstimato of the quantity of timber in New Zealand forests' to-day was 35,000,000,000 superficial feet. Tho consumption for 1921 was over 300,000,000 ft. / / Tho area of land dedicated tc forestry and kindred purposes was 6,800,000 acres, and thare remained yet 4,000,000 acres undcdicatol. State forests now totalled 1,668,319 acres, whilo tho area decared provisional State forest was 3,292,372 acres. The aim of tho league was to assure tho practico of forest management oyer all forest areas in Now Zealand which were chiefly valuable for forestry purposes, so as to securo constant renewal and perpetuation of the timber supplios. After outlining tho policy of tho leaguo, Mr Lawson said tree farms with crops of standing timber were capital, and tho proceeds from tho sale of timber must bo put back into tho business. The chief step in safeguarding tho tree farms of New Zealand was to give tho forost service power to control fires and straying stock. Last vear 50,000 acres-of timber worth £1,000,000 was burned. Treo farming land would maintain more pcoplo than if it was convortod into grazing land. Every 100 acres maintained ono white family. , Replying to questions, Mr. Lawson said tho Forestry League supported tho Forestry Bill in its original form with certain amendments, particularly regarding the question of demarcation of forest areas. By tho examination of such lands he meant tho examination of tho soil and the character of the forest growing thereon. Because land carried heavy timber, it did not follow that tho soil was good. It depended upon tho brand of trees. Berry-bearing trees always grow on good land. It' was not intended that forest growing on good land should be preserved. Such land would pass through the hands of tho forest service simplv to bo pronounced upon as to its suitability for farming or forestry. A question as'to whether the league had decided where the school of forestry should be located caused some amusement. Mr. Lawson said the leaguo, being a national association, had no preference. R was only urged that the school should be established soon. Now Zealand must have her own forestry school to train her own foresters.