The Ohinemuri Gazette. AND UPPER THAMES WARDEN. SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 1892.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume I, Issue 57, 30 January 1892, Page 4

The Ohinemuri Gazette. AND UPPER THAMES WARDEN.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 1892.

"Iwill aroundunvwrnisKd tale deliver." —Oth&llo, Act 1, Scene 3.-

When the foundations of this planet were being laid, Providence, looking down the dim vistas of time., indubitably ■saw that the mankind of the future, would be' a gregarious and housebuilding species in this chosen district; given to the making of townships consisting of semi-detached villas, cowsheds, hotels, and other places wherein to disport himself. It therefore pleased the said Providence, in its infinite wisdom, to provide large forests of valuable timber as material for the edifices mentioned. In the fulness of time, and with the advent of certain mysterious machines known as mining 'Acts, and also with the appearance on the globe of a' race of somewhat human persons-called.gum-diggers, these forests began to disappear. In regard to the connection of! the phenomenon with the latter agency, it is, well known that the gumdiorger is a gentle person of high breeding, who walks up and down prodding Mother earth, with a handspike until in her agony and desire for respite and nepenthe she gives him some gum to go to town with. This, not hurting us, we consider harmless, but when, as well known.',it takes some two or three kauri trees to bile Mr Gumdigger's billy we desire respectfully to enter an official protest. When we say that it takes two or three kauri trees to warm the gentleman's hash, do not be hasty and imagine that he, with little hatchet, chops them up, Not at all. It is in this wise. He cannot bile his billy till he has something to bile. To obtain this desideration he must get gum. At certain seasons he cannot get at the gum until with fire he has made the crooked places straight. Therefcre, armed with a box of plaid. matches, he

advances boldly on the forest primeval, ; strikes a match, and lies down to chew tobacco until the scrub and undergrowth is burned and he has a. means of access to the hidden treasure. ■ There is no doubt but that thus there' have been thousands of valuable kauri trees butchered to make a gumdigger'a holiday. In o!her countries the very strictest control is exercised overstate forests, and with good cause. Timber is not grown like cabbages and it •will not be long before the cry will be raised that our kauri timber is gone— indeed we are within measureable distance of that catastrophe now. Ifc is almost impotent to attempt anything in the matter of saving the bushes, but it is incumbent upon the Government of tne country to punish most severely incendiarists ,of this nature and to offer heavy rewards for information leading to conviction. These forests are beset by enemies. There is no doubt that the provisions of the Mining Act, in respect to kauri trees, are greatly abused. It is absurd to suppose that all those who have takeu , trees from the goldfield bushes have paid the nominal 25s each demanded, by law for them. Indeed we do not believe one half of the trees taken are paid for. It may be. asked, Who is responsible? Well, the matter stands thus. If any person wants a tree, or trees, he applies for them at the Warden's office, deposits . his 25s per tree, and on obtaining the necessary permission, he fells them, or puts his brand on them until required. The Warden's department, alone have control of the timber, and it is really impossible, under existing circumstances, for the department to exercise it. In the first place the mining inspector, on whose sboulders the control rests, could not possibly have practical demonstration of what trees are cut. He has already too much to do, his district being large enough for three men. There is no one else invested with the necessary power who can enquire of the various bush contractors cutting Crown timber as to what they were cutting, and all about it. Certainly the County Coun-. oil appointed a Forest, Hanger some time back, who had a certain or uncertain standing from the Wardens office, but hard as he tried to get at the bottom of the matter he was unable to do so. Now we believe just as he had some clue, private matters compelled him to retire from the position. The fact is, that the only body receiving revenue from these trees is the County Council, and that this is also the body which has not the ! slightest voice in controlling the source ■of the revenue. We believe if-it could be arranged that the Council should be constituted a sort of Waste Lands Board, having direct control over the kauri, — subject to the Warden's right to veto—that arrangements could be made whereby con- .. tractors cutting large numbers of logs , should be compelled to show their books periodically, as to the number of trees cut, take affidavits as to their correctness, and if they or any person wore discovered in cutting timber that had not been paid for should Joe liable . to a heavy term of imprisonment.