AFFORESTATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23369, 8 December 1937, Page 6

AFFORESTATION

TO THE EDITOR Sir, —I am sure his Worship the Mayor will pardon my temerity in saying that he misunderstood the proposal put before the City Council last evening by the mercantile and industrial organisations. Probably I put the case badly, it so, the fault is mine. The essence of the proposition is a long-term scheme to augment city afforestation. Planting under such a scheme would proceed for many years. Naturally, the council would, year by year, acquire and use the cheaper areas, which, under present conditions, are of little use to anyone: but there should be no need for any decent settler being "dispossessed," although I daresay quite a few might prefer to sell. All that we have suggested is that, subject to investigation and due consideration of all factors, the city should be enabled to acquire from time to time such land within its neighbourhood as may seem desirable for afforestation. Certainly no one ever dreamt of an Irish eviction such as his Worship visualises. As regards present planting, I understand the city has about 6000 acres under forest near Dunedin; the rest of the plantations is at Waipori. The deputation submitted that afforestation should be accelerated near Dunedin. The area at Waipori. while quite a useful asset, is too far off to come into the picture, although it may count in the annual planting of the council referred to by his Worship.—l am, etc., John B. Waters. Dunedin. December 7.