The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 1923. FORESTRY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 92, 23 August 1923, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 1923. FORESTRY.

In the report ou the operations of the Forestry Department, recently presented to Parliament, the past year ia described as one of “fruition and results,” the service having “made good its promise of 1921 to make the national forc-at programme pay its way la this year.” This, the Director says, “has been made possible by reason of the splendid support of local government, the press, and the people of this country. State forestry,” ho adds, “has proved to be of real service and value to the community—a policy not to bo trampled on or victimised by vosttMl timber monopolists, or to be trifled with by nelf-intereste-d speculators. For the first time in the history of the forest administration all debeutur« interest charges and sinking-fund redemp- 1 ttoBS, have been covered by de-i

partmental receipts.” This has been accomplished “notwithstanding the restricted financial resources made available by Parliament.” The receipts for the year amounted to £290,342/19/1; and the expenditure on general account was £59,228/17/4, as against actual revenue receipts of £63,372/5/4. The timber sales for the last three years show an advance In value from £17,055/15/- in 1920-21, to £38,208/14/5 in 1921-22, and to £95,357/5/11 in 1922-23, and from 6,987,569 superficial feet in the first-named year to 55,669,888 in the second, and 78,830,823 last year. The increase in the total value of the State Forest Service timber sales, from the fiscal year 1921-22 to 1922-23, Is 150 per cent., and the increase in the quantity sold is *>l23 per cent. During the same period the State nurseries have disposed of 2,893,835 trees and 1422 forest tree seeds for planting to farmers, settlers and local bodies, etc., and the Forest Service propaganda has been responsible for a quickening interest in local body tree-planting operations. “City and borough councils, county councils, and other local body treeplanting operations, have (the report states) greatly increased during the year. It is estimated that 2000 acres were planted by local body effort. Several proprie- ' tary companies established for the sole purpose of growing and harvesting timber farms, carried out planting operations in the North Auckland province, on pumice plains, and in Canterbury and Nelson. It is estimated that 2000 acres were established by this means. Individual effort on the part of farmers, settlers, fruit-growers and freezing, coal, and dairy enterprises, and others, were responsible for the creation of 3000 acres of tree plantation during the year. Ip review, the number of trees raised and disposed of by the Forest Service, commercial nurserymen, and others to tree planters, planted in New Zealand for the year, was at least five million, planted on 12,800 acres. At this rate (the report says) the proportionate responsibilities for . provision of future needs is fully assured.” The Director urges the Commissioner of State Forests to seriously consider the establishment of a special State Forests Purchase Account of £500,000 for the acquisition of highly valuable native and privately owned forests; making the forest authority responsible for the administration of all Government tipiber and forest activities, “the service being the only agency of State administration efficiently organised to manage these and collateral activities such as milling and timber licenses, leases and permits”; the establishment of a North Island experiment station, which the Director . says should he located ip the South Auckland region; the , dedication to forestry and conservation of the large area of unalienated Crown forests (over 2.000,000 acres) not as yot under the control of the forest authority; the establishment of a School of Forestry for the train : r« of forest technicians and executants, thus providing instructional faclli 4 .- ies; State co-operation with cities, boroughs counties and local bodies generally, and operating community plantations and tree farms; and more definite and uniform adminls tration and control of the several hundred miles of sawmill tramways now in operation throughout the forested regions of New Zealand.