FOREST PRESERVATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19676, 30 June 1927, Page 11

FOREST PRESERVATION.

ASPECT OF WATERSHEDS. THE NEW ZEALAND LEAGUE. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] W ELLINGTON. Wednesday The annual report of the New Zealand Forestry League, presented at, a meeting of the league last evening, lays stress on the work of the leaguo in preserving several historic spots throughout the Dominion as national monuments. The president, Mr. A. L. Hunt, suggested the advisability of investigating the practicability of cutting the,mature timber from New Zealand forests and leaving the balance to grow for successive crops He emphasised the menace of erosion of the Dominion's lowlands as an ever-increasing danger which, if not checked, would mean to the country a fabulous !os:» of wealth in the years to come. Mr. Hunt attributed the erosion to the thorough denuding of watersheds of their lores' growth, causing the.copious rainfall of hilly lands to rush unchecked and in torrents to the watercourses of the flats, thus carrying out to sea considerable areas of valuable land every year. The State, he was assured, would properly control its own lands in this respect, but unfortunately many such areas were held by private persons, who could not ho expected to pay interest, rates, and taxes for the benefit of their fellowman. lie trusted the league would devote its energies to this aspect of forestry with renewed vigour.