UREWERA FOREST

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22584, 24 November 1936, Page 10

UREWERA FOREST

NEW STATE RESERVE THREE MILLION ACRES STATEMENT BY MINISTER DEPARTMENT'S ACTIVITIES |>Y TF.LV.GUAPH —OWN* COURKSPONDKNT] THAMES, Monday The announcement that the whole of the Crown's interest in the Urewera country—>s.ooo,ooo acres is to be declared a reserve, mainly as a> protection for bird life and to save tho native bush, was made to-day by tho Hon. F. Langstone, Commissioner of State Forests and Minister of Lands, when speaking of the Government's operations in forestry and tho small farm scheme. .The declaration of tho Urewera countrv as a reserve would also serve to preserve the stream flow and protect tho Rangitaiki area from serious flooding, which would occur if the Urewera •were denuded of hush, went on the Minister. "I say definitely that if we allowed the bush to bo cut out on the high country here the rich areas of tho Rangitaiki Plains would be washed out to sea," he added. Domains and Reserves Mr. Langstone said that the activities on public reserves came under thrco headings-—domains, scenic reserves, and national parks. Domains were controlled by local bodies oi private people constituted domain boards, and there were 775 domains totalling 75,000 acres. Local bodies were assisted bv contributions from tho public and also by State subsidy. In the past 12 months 10 new domains, totalling 225 acres, had been reserved under the Act. Scenic reserves were under tlie control of the various commissioners of Crown lands in their district. These totalled 980, comprising 705,000 acres. During tho vear ended March 31 last 34,000 acres'had been set aside under the Scenery Preservation Act, and the board had recently acquired 28,000 acres, in addition to 16,000 acres of State forests which had been declared scenic reserves. National parks included Tongariro, 150.000 acres; Egmont, 79,000 acres; Arthur's Pass, 117,000 acres; parks on top of other mountains, 94,000 acres; Peel Forest, 1305 acres; Tasman (Mount Cook), 97,800 acres; Hooker Glacier, 38,000 acres; and Southern Sounds, 2.407,000 acres; making a total of 2,955,165 acres. State Forests For years, said Mr. Langstone, New Zealand people had manifested great interest in reserves for the full and free use of citizens, and in addition to the reserves mentioned there were permanent State forests of 4,044,000 acres, including 420,000 of exotic plantings. There were provisional State forests of 3,56G,000 acres, so if these figures were added to tho national parks, etc., there was a total of 11,674,165 acres. After referring to tho plans for the Urewera country, tho Minister went on to say that from the figures given the public would realise that every effort was being made to preserve this wonderful heritage. '•"It is unfortunate that most of the bush-clad country has been felled and denuded of forest in the interests of settlements, many of which have been absolute failures, and settlers have lost their money in loans and so on," continued Sir. Langstone. "There has been disaster after disaster, after thousands of pounds have been spent in roads, bridges and other facilities. This economic development was not warranted, but wo must learn by mistakes and avoid repetition of them in the future." Small Farms Scheme The Minister went on to say that the main method of land settlement to-day was done under the name of the small farm development scheme. Naturally the Minister of Lands to-day was in a slightly different position from that of the man who filled the position 15 or 20 years ago, when there were millions of acres of good usable land at his disposal and he was able to carry on a vigorous land settlement policy whereby the settler was placed on the land, money was advanced as improvements were effected, and where the land was favourable to treatment settlement naturally ensued. To-day there was very little good land left for disposal, and consequently our land development works were going on under less favourable conditions.

"Yet notwithstanding this disability," said the Minister, "1 can fully say that with the utilisation of unemployed workers with moneys derived from unemployment funds, in addition to capital moneys, with mass action iijider proper supervision and direction, lands which were formerly waste lands and impossible of settlement are being brought into cultivation, and the method adopted ensures that settlers placed on the land under the small farm development scheme will be 100 per cent successful." KAUAERANGA VALLEY THE MINISTER IMPRESSED [by telegraph—own correspondent] THAMES, Monday A request to the Minister of Lands, the Hon. F. Langstone, that he should promote further settlement in the Kauaeranga Valley or alternatively go in for reafforestation was made to-day hv Mr. C. J. Garland, president of the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Langstone closely questioned Mr. K. Graham, commissioner of Crown lands, regarding settlement. Mr. Graham said that any settlement above the present line was impossible. There were small areas of good land, but the bulk was stony and covered with blackberry. The country was most deceptive. ■ Mr. Garland then suggested that more afforestation should tnfce place, and Mr. Graham said it was ideal for that purpose. The Minister said he looked most favourably on the proposition. It would Bcrve to protect both the water supply and the settlers on the river flats near Thames.