The N.Z. Times (PUBLISHED DAILY). MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1905. THE TIMBERS OF NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5726, 23 October 1905, Page 4

The N.Z. Times

(PUBLISHED DAILY). MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1905. THE TIMBERS OF NEW ZEALAND.

yrm WHICH IS INCORPORATED TUB “ WELLINGTON IMDEPSNDBMT. m established 1345.

For tho second time in the history of the colony, wo have a report on the forests of the country separate from tho annual report of tho Department of Lands and Surrey. Tho first occasion was when tho head of tho Forestry* De-partment—-Captain Campbell Walker, an importation! from tho Forestry Department of tho Indian Government, issued his report, which to this day* remains one of tho most valuable to ho found among tho Parliamentary papers. Tho aspirations of the colony after tho perfection of forestry were thrown into eclipse immediately after, and forestry languished as a neglected branch of tho Department of Lands. In 1896 tho Forest Division of tho department was formally created, and nurseries wore started under the chief forester, Mr Matthews. It had corao to bo recognised that tho rapid disappearance of tho forests of tho country required to bo mot by energetic measures for tho restoration of tho timber resources. From year to year the operations of this now department grew in extent, until last year tho aggregate of the trees planted reached twonty-fivo millions. This position has been attained hy varying stages, from the seven millions of yearlings of last year to tho older trees planted out in permanent situations. Private enterprise has done something; in fact, has a rood record, extending back to Dio earliest days of tho colony. Moreover, tho plantations of the old provincial days are a good asset, and there aro considerable areas in Canterbury and Otago planted under tho provisions of tho Plantations Act of 1895. The' new Government nurseries aro, however, the best examples of successful forestry, because they have been worked under a uniform management, with a steady eye to tho growth of the right kind of trees in tho right places, and upon an enlightened system of cultivation. It is tho report of this department which has now appeared for the first timo on its own merits, separate from tho annual reports of tho Lands and Survey Department. Lot us hope that this return of forestry to its proper relative rank may ho tho precursor of better things for the Forestry Department—an assurance of groat things for the timber supply of the country.

In tho days of earlier neglect, the people were frightened off by the fear of expense. But the experience of tho great forestry departments of Europe and India ought to have shown us that forestry under State auspices can be made not only self-sustaining but profitable as well. However 4 in tho early nineties, when tho Government took up tho question of forestry with some vigour, tho whole of tho forests ■wore either reserved or brought under control; and the result has been a fair revenue from various sources of timber production, which might easily be utilised for tho development of tho practice of forestry, which is tho purpose to which that revenue specially belongs. In addition, there is the profit of tho nurseries and plantations. It is computed by experienced foresters that a timber 'plantation ought to begin after five years to turn in a revenue from thinnings at the rat© of threepence per troo five feet apart, and that at the end of thirty- yearn all tho grown trees at fifteen feet apart should bo worth a pound sterling. If we assume the thinnings to pay for the expenses to date, the value of each acre of plantation ought to ho £176. Tho next stop in tho calculation is the thinning of 176 trees, estimated as above at a sovereign apxeoo; and this, it is estimated, could be done so as to yield a cash return of £SO per acre, leaving a hundred trees at least growing into bigger timber, and a number of young trees coming on in the proper rotation. Plantations of 10,000 acres-in the aggregate would thus in thirty years show a cash profit of half a million sterling and a system of forestry well forward—given the increase of the areas planted—on the road to the adequate supply of all possible timber requirements for centuries to come. Tho next period of thirty years would be more profitable, as a matter of course, and all the expenses of the first thirty would to paid easily, even if the thinnings failed, as they might at first, to find a market, out of the State forest revenue. The only thing necessary to bring the Forestry Department up to the fullest requirement is to add proportionately to the area of plantation. Millions of acres have been denuded ol timber, but the reforestation up to all requirements oould be done, by welldirected cultivation, on a twentieth of the area. Tho case for a more vigorous prosecution of the forestry of the country is as irrefragable as the necessity for tho policy is vital.