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NEW ZEALAND TIMBERS

DEALING WITH FOREST LANDS. THE GOVERNMENT POLICY __ OUTLINED. (Faon Oub Ovr« Cobbkßi»ondbkt.) WELLINGTON, April 30. An important statement regarding the policy of the Government in conserving supplies of New Zealand timber for our own use was made to the conference of Crown Lands Commissioners by the Hon. Sir Francis Bell, Minister in Charge of the Forestry Department. The advice, help, and co operation of these officers was asked for by the Minister, who pointed out that it was with regard to Crown lands and to a certain extent to lands still owned by the Natives that it had become necessary to make such provision as should ensure the people of New Zealand a. constant supply of timber for their own purposes. "I use the words their own purposes deliberately," continued the Minister, "and say that it is necessary to emphasise those words and their meaning. The export of New Zealand timber for us© in countries outside New Zealand cannot continue in tl.e future as it has in the past, and it has already become obvious that as to some classes of timber no further licenses can be granted to sawmillers without the condition that no timber sawn at the mill shall be sold for export. The process of prohibition of export of come classes •">! timber could bo more gradual," continued Sir Francis Bell, and he trusted that the millers would realise the position, and that it would be found that t'.iero was jmple room in New Zealand for the proiitable conduct' of the industry without the aid of foreign markets. Apart from the export causing a shortage, the Minister pointed out that the high prices obtained for New Zealand woods outside the dominion had so inflated their.cost in New Zt and as to increase beyond reason tho prices of timber in New Zealand for all purposes. "I desire j 7 our assistance," said the Minister, "in the foundation of a policy which shall, as far as possible, conserve for the uso of the people of New Zealand, both in tho present and in the future, such publio lands now covered by timber as are not required for land settlement purposes, and for the planting of areas of open land which, though, not required for settlement purposes, are suited for planting and afforestation. Approximately the area proclaimed as State forest land is 1,854,214 acres, of which 1,464,000 acres are actually under forest. Part of this area comprises high land, on which commercial forestry is not possible, and other, parts will be required for settlement when the milling timber has been cut and removed.''

In view of the serious and urgent demand for land for settlement, the Minister said that it had to be accepted as a maxim that where Crown lands not proclaimed as State forest reserves contained good land the timber must go and the land be cleared, but in all cases where the land was not of at least average quality the Minister deolared that he was satisfied that the best policy for New Zealand was to retain the land as forest, proclaim it as State forest, and deal with it scientifically for the provision of timber not merely for the present but for the distant future. "It is demonstrable, I believe, that forest land so held and used provides a constant employment for a greater number of people per acre than any other industry," remarked the Minister, who asked the closest consideration of his hearers to the point of the dividing line between land suitable for settlement and -that which should be proclaimed as State forest The difficulty of labour prevented the carrying out of a complete survey to settle this question, but he had secured statutory power to set aside areas as provisional forest areas, so that when the question arose as to whether the land could be marketed the opportunity would be presented to retain a large por tion of it for forest purposes. The Minister ,also referred to the possibility of preserving the bush in the head waters of the sources of our rivers and their tributaries, since such a plan avoided serious floods in non-navigable rivers and conserved a constant flow in navigable rivers. Referring to the power obtained last session to regulate the price of New Zealand timber, the Minister said he had proceeded gradually, as it would have been unfair to abruptly interfere with the course of milling already established. The Board of Trade had given. him valuable assistance, but he was afraid there was an idea prevailing that nothing had been done. This was simply due to the fact that neither the Minister in charge of the Board of Trade nor the speaker had thought it necessary to make public" announcements. From time to time it had been possible to make regulations fixing the price of every class of milling timber in New Zealand, and limiting the export of certain classes. The Minister suggested that the regulations controlling the sale of standing timber and the granting of cutting licenses had been much misunderstood. Huge areas of land covered with valuable forest were now held under cutting licenses, granted in the past. In many cases the land under forest was wholly unsuited for settlement. "The miller," he continued, "has the right to fp in and destroy, and what is left behind im will be barren and useless. Such cutting rights ought not to have been indiscriminately allowed in the past. The right to grant them in the future must, as a matter of public policy, be subject first to inquiry by Government officials. The regulations do _ not prevent cutting or destroying the timber on his own land, and it is clear that a private owner, who desires that others should mill his timber before his land is clear, would obtain the license as a matter of oourse. The power of Native owners to grant authority to destroy forest has, I admit, been thus limited ; but in my view no undue interference with the Native right has been effected. The power of wardens acting in mining districts to grant licenses to destroy timber growing, in many cases upon land which would be ■worthless for any other purpose, has been

curtailed to the necessary power to grant cutting rights for mining purposes pure and simple. _ Against this there has been already a violent protest, and I anticipate much further attacks. So far as the protest is one voiced by the sawniillers, it must be made plain that the policy is one that has been deliberately entered upon by the Government, and will not be altered, So far as the protest comes from the local authorities. _ which have derived revenue from royalties upon all State timber, the question whether provision will be made for that loss of revenue out of the Consolidated Fund has not yet been considered by the Oabinet. lam not in a position to indicate what will be the policy of the Government on that subject, but it would be absurd to contend that the forests of New Zealand are to be destroyed in order to provide revenue for local authorities."

The Minister said that a trained forester would have to be employed by the Government, and the man required would have to be sought outside of New Zealand. There were two questions to be considered J the preservation of existing forest and the plantation of bare areas. As forest land was milled planting would have to be continued. _ Only on these conditions would milling licenses be granted.

(Feom Ouk Own Coehespondent.) AUCKLAND, May 5. The plans of Sir Francis Bell concerningf afforestation have been discussed with, great interest by the Auckland trade. One point referred to la the possible reduction in cutting, which would mean that many mills would have to run under their full capacity a.nd at a loss, which the State should logically pay, because the cutting rights already granted will keep timbercutters occupied for some time to come. About *S2,(KX),COOft of kauri is cut every year, and it has been estimated that at this rate the kauri will not last more than six years. The proposal of the Minister of Forestry to plant seedling kauris for future use in commerce is lookod upon as rather indefinite, for the reason that the time these trees would reach maturity is lost in the haze of the far distant future. Kauri trees are standing all over this pre vince. and the age of some of them ha» been computed at anything up to 5000 years. Kauris planted at Ayondale 50 years ago are about a foot in diameter and about 40ft high, so they may still be said to be far short of maturity. Indeed, it is commonly estimated that the katu-i grows about a foot a year for the first 50 years or so; and after that it grows very slowly indeed, and very gradually increases in girth. It is not usual to cut timber that has a diameter of less than 2ft, and "rickers," as young kahikateas are called, take more than 100 vears to reach maturity.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW19190514.2.132

Bibliographic details

Otago Witness, Issue 3400, 14 May 1919, Page 49

Word Count
1,521

NEW ZEALAND TIMBERS Otago Witness, Issue 3400, 14 May 1919, Page 49

NEW ZEALAND TIMBERS Otago Witness, Issue 3400, 14 May 1919, Page 49

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