REVENUE FROM TIMBER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18331, 22 February 1923, Page 8

REVENUE FROM TIMBER.

COUNTY COUNCILS' SHARE. COMMISSION TO INQUIRE. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.} WELLINGTON. Wednesday. A deputation representative of the county councils of the North and South Islands placed before the Prime Minister and other Ministers to-day a request that 50 per cent, of the revenue from timber I royalties from Crown lands be still paid j to the county councils in the ■ areas con- ! cerned, and that a commission be set up Ito determine: (1) The amount of past royalties legally and equitably due to local I bodies; (2) future loss of revenue to them by reason of / the provisions of the Forests Act; also that a Forestry Advisory Board be set up under the Forests Act, 1921, and that local bodies have representation on the board. , The Primo Minister said the request for a commission was a reasonable one. He would agree to a commission being set up. He would not say exactly at the present time what form the commission would take, but it would have very wide powers for collecting evidence. As to the setting-up of; the Advisory Board, he could not promise when it would be constituted. He thought the deputation could go home satisfied that things would be better 'in ' this' respect. The commission would be set up as soon as it could be arranged. They would : have an opportunity of giving evidence, , and there would be representatives of the Crown and the Government giving evidence as well. He believed' some readjustment necessary, and only hoped that in the process of readjustment .the finances of the country itself would not suffer. He could not promise counties tohat they were I going to get any definite sum*