VAST KAURI FOREST

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12251, 24 September 1925, Page 2

VAST KAURI FOREST

AREA IN SOLOMONS GROUP ACQUIRED BY TIMBER COMPANY, (By Telegraph—Special to “Times.”) AUCKLAND, September 23. A favourable report of the vast kauri forest recently acquired by the Kauri Timber Company on the island of Vanilcoro in the Solomons group was given by Air B. Faithfull, the company’s bush manager, who returned by the Moeraki after a visit to the Solomons where he inspected the timber area. Air Faithfull left Auckland early in June, and spent seven weeks on Vanikoro. It was recently announced that the Kauri Timber Company, Limited, of Melbourne, in conjunction with the San Cristoval Estates, Limited, contemplated the formation of a company to cut and market the timber on Vanikoro island, but at that time the extent and value of the timber was not known locally. Air Faithfull stated that the island contained about 40,000 acres of very fine kauri besides other millable timbers. A concession to work the forest had been secured by the San Cristoval Estates, and a small mill had been Greeted, but no very great amount of ryork had been done, the extent and size of the tinfoer requiring a much greater plant than the Estates Company had been able to erect. “The kauri on. the island compares verv favourably with ours,” said AJr Faithful! “We saw trees up to 100 feet in height with girths up to 25 feet. It was equal to the majority of any of the forests we have had in New Zealand. Of course, we could not determine the quality of the timber, but in appearance the trees are very much like New Zealand kauri, except that the leaf is a little larger. The country is easy, and rolling, and the forest is clear of underscrub. In fact it is like a vast park with snlendid trees standing up clear from the ground.” EASY TO BRING OUT

An investigation of all the possible problems to .be faced in milling timber was made by Air Faithfull, who said that no trouble should be experienced in getting the logs from their present positions as the contour of the country was favourable. The island was surrounded by a reef at a distance of about a mile and a half from the shore with deep water inside. It would thus be seen that excellent facilities existed for rafting or towing logs from almost any portion of the coast to a centrally situated mill.

Air Faithfull spoke very highly of the native labour available, and said the Island boys were willing and intelligent workers, and with'' suitable men with experience of the industry to direct them they would prove very satisfactory. While kauri predominated on the island there were ninny other timbers which it would pay to cut out. Air Faithfull said some cf these other trees attained a height of 70 feet, and trees with a girth of from oft to 10ft wero common. As far ns ho could see these trees wore not of the timber quality of most of the New Zealand millable timbers. One species, the koiln, promiss'j to have a commercial value. It grew in profusion and should coin, mend a ready market. The koila w*j medium hardness, and had much th« same colour of cedar. It was easily worked, ha-1 a pleasing grain and took a splendid surface, thus having all thy appearance of being an admirable furniture timber.