PRESERVING FORESTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18089, 13 May 1922, Page 12

PRESERVING FORESTS.

Mr. W. R. Holmes, one of our wellknown engineers recently said: " Engineers and all local authorities throughout New Zealand should maintain a constant campaign against the denudation of our forest-clad mountains and ranges, not only on account of the loss of valuable water during floods, but on account of the ' enormously-increased quantity of detritus washed down from the bare hills to detrimentally affect all storage reservoirs which may be constructed in such localities. The maintenance of an equable flow in the streams, for the use of posterity, is of far greater _ natural value than the endeavour to maintain a few sheep on what must become almost barren country; " and further added, in lonly to the discussion: "What ho thought the Government engineers should do was to suoport the Forestry Depart-I ment in its endeavour to obtain control of as much of the forrest territory as possible." The importance of this advice cannot be over-emphasised. Mr. Holmes, with his long experience of our rivers and climate, and with ma.tuned jiidg- j ment, urres the members of his profession to " support the Forestry Department." The evidence of the necessity for this to future erenerations is overwhelming, and should induce public opinion to be more pronounced than ever that the remaining forests should be under the control of the Forest Service and that aTtor demarcation, any land cut out as suitable for settlement he handed to the Lands Department for disposal, and not leave the decision in the hands of the latter department.