The Forest Regulations.

Southland Times, Issue 9383, 24 November 1886, Page 2

The Forest Regulations.

TO THE EDITOR, Stb,— As mi outsider in the recent corree« pondence re saw millers and the new forest laws, permit me through your columus to give my ?ie<? of the maiter, silting in haneo, as the bash lawyfr would have it. The lamentations raised by the millers and re* echoed by every colonist with hia heart willing for labjur and industrial effort ia this— the fear that tbio leading industry of the colony has fallen under the direction of a scientific enthusiast, and not, as a young country like this would demand, under the care of a more practical man, There is too much fear that the rooting up of the forests will reduce the humidity of the climate and similar idealisations so beantiful to the refltclive faculty, and too, far too little of tha patriotism that would push thin country into oae of industrial jtawn The result of government of this description is to retain the labouring man within the limits of the small towns, and let the country go to the dogs. Put this sa ve exclugiveness into tha i'iicister of Lands and the Southland plains would be still unsettled, and every one would dread the discovery of a t?oldfield as it would result ia the country being so terribly hacked ,about. In fact, man is subordinate to nature and I presume the next session will see another loan aßked for to roof over tke valuable State fore-its of this country with galvanised iron. The owl is atill perched ia dignity over the shrine of art and literature, and its vo'.aries are satisfied with ths emblem, but the practical man must ever look upon the actions of- this bird as stupid ia the extreme, and, e.g., this country must be freed from owls, if the dignity of labour and industrial effort are to be encouraged in the hrarts of its colonists. The futuic hero's tbat will fild the literature of New Zealand are the practical men in it, and scientific enthusiasts are the worst men to provide assistance in its government, — lam, &c, Colonist.