AUSTRALIAN FORESTRY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16371, 20 June 1927, Page 10

AUSTRALIAN FORESTRY

SCHOOL AT CANBERRA

lISES OF AUSTRALIAN TIMBERS

SYDNEY, May 10,

All object of pride in the Federal Capital Territory at Canberra is the Commonwealth School of Forestry, which, is meant by its founders to be a focus for the enthusiasm which must soon be awakened in this country if some of our finest woods arc to be saved from practical extinction. Olio writer declares it to be not, a “sermon in stone,” but in wood, preaching eloquently and graphically the gospel of the value of Australian timbers, for not one foot of the timber used in conjunction with stone, bricks, and mortar in the construction of the building comes from abroad. The Chief Architect of the. Federal Capital Commission liad to light strenuously to demonstrate that local hoop pine was just as good as American Oregon for rafters. The building is magnificently situated against flic dark, beautiful background by an arboretum planted 17 years ago. This arboretum is a valuable asset to the school, as it contains all varieties of pines, and students at the school pass from lectures to practical demonstrations in the grounds. But, it is, within the walls of the school that a visitor may read the lesson which the institution lias been created to convey. The story of Australia's wealth in furniture’and building woods may be read in the octagonal parquet floor of. the noble entrance hall, panelled wall,s and hall parquet. The hall parquet consists of narrow planks running octagonally back from, a chessboard square pattern in the centre. The changes in the material of these planks indicates the richness of the timbers of the various States. Thus New South. Wales has contributed tallow wood, Victoria mountain ash, Western Australia jarrali, Tasmania maple, and Queensland glorious walnut. The latter woody unspoilt by polish, also constitutes the panels of (he luill, .bordered by blackwood. In tho pasageways a demonstration has been made of timber so despised that it can be given away. This is New South Wales coachwo'od, which makes a. better flooring than baltic or pine. Each room is done .with different woods, the doors being of maple, which the principal of the school, Mr. 0. E. Lane-Poole, Inspector-General of Forests for the Commonwealth, classes as the king of Australian timbers. In the drafting tables built for the (students is Tasmanian Huon pine. Most of the drafting boards in use by architects and draughtsmen have been built of New Zealand kauri, and it is said that the demonstration at the school of the effectiveness of Huoh pino for this purpose will mean the superseding of the Dominion timber for this purpose. The school, in short, is run by enthusiasts determined to kill once and for all the legend of the unsuitability of Australian timber for building, and for furniture. The use of local woods for this purpose is much greater now than it was before the war, and it is, expected that the new school at Canberra, qa addition to helping to conserve our forests quid to plant flew ones,, will drive homo to Australians tho lossous now being learned of their tim- ( bers ’ greatness and thus will reduce timber imports to a minimum.