AFFORESTATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3912, 5 March 1929, Page 10

AFFORESTATION.

NEW MINISTER’S POLICY. AUCKLAND, February 26.

When opening the Matamata Show tp-day, the Commissioner of State Forests (Mr W. B. Taverner), speaking of the afforestation of land suitable for farming, said he intended to inaugurate a policy of close co-operation between the departments of Lands, Agriculture, and Forestry, which would mean the classification of different areas. It was hoped that shortly the details of a land settlement scheme would be announced enabling a large number of people to go on small holdings. In future the State Forest Service would confine its efforts to areas suitable for afforestation only. Regarding the proposal to resume some areas already planted, Mr Taverner said he would like to point out that in certain cases the land was subject to “ sickness.” Economic factors would also enter into the case, such as that of the value created by the activities of the Forest Service. Low grade land would be the better for bearing a crop of trees and then going into general cultivation. However, he was prepared to investigate all such propositions.