FORESTRY LEAGUE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17186, 9 November 1926, Page 10

FORESTRY LEAGUE

ITS AIMS AND OBJECTS The lecturer at. the last meeting of the Study ami Jh'seftssion Society was Mrs. Ueorge .Smith, who dealt in an interesting manner with "The Aims ami Uojeets of the New Zealand Forestry League." The speaker displayed a Keen interest, in the subject, ami in natural history. She opened her address oy saymg that the league was a Dominion movement. It was .started by a few men who had always been keen students ot Mew Zealand natural history, and, who v dissatisfied wi'tli the then existing conditions, banded together, and out of that band' arose the Forestry League, which had now been in existenco over nine years. The lecturer went on to say that it would lie a very great advau-, tage. to this district if it had the guidance and support of the league, for if it were united with the efforts of the population, forestry would be placed oil a solid basis. The position and qualities of our native hush were then dealt with, and it. was stated that Ntew Zealand's flora stood second to top in the vegetable kingdom, and with regard to variety it took first place. In the Motu bush tspecimens of plants belonging to four /.ones were to be found, sub-tropical, temperate, sub-temperate, and Antarctic vegetation being represented, while the commercial value of riimi, totara, matai and otlir timbers was well-known. The millers, said the speaker, were working in accord with the league, a.s they wanted the seasoned timber, and the league wished to preserve the saplings for regeneration and the seedlings for transplanting. The land-owners knew now that it was the height of folly to ravish the country with lire. In the towns there were places eminently suitable for native tree-planting, and under skilled guidance there was not a corner that could not produce same suitable and interesting specimen. Attached to the Canterbury and Auckland Universities were forestry schools. In England, France, and America, garden cities and rural towns were, replacing concrete and steel. Rofconia had its springs and would have its up-to-date pa, while Taupo had its fishing. What was there to prevent us from making Gisbornc a garden city, and what greater honor could be conferred upon the Poverty Bay (lis trfcfc than that of being a typical repre sentation of New Zealand's unique fauna and flora? After the lecturer had replied to many questions, short sneeches were made by Messrs. Poole. Ttwkor, and Maunder. Then on the motion of Mrs. Walker, who presided, a. hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mrs. Smith for her very interesting and instructive address.