Afforestation in Britain.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12488, 15 March 1909, Page 2

Afforestation in Britain.

The Royal Commission which has jointly considered Coast Erosion and Afforestation has issued its exceedingly important second report. The case in brief is as follows (states a London paper) : — We import every year an immense quantity -of wood, \ most of which could be economically grown in this country. We have the climate chat suits the growth of soft -wood, and the'evidence is completely convincing that afforestation is practicable. At the same time the virgin forests are getting used up, and it is necessary that steps should be taken to plant the forest which shall give .us the timber we shall need in years to come. The scheme propounded by the Commissioners is that we should gradually afforest (at 150,000 acres a, year) the 9,000,000 acres in the United Kingdom which are available without material encroachment upon agricultural, (land. It is proposed that the State shall spend two millions a year and that-the money- should be raised by loan. The effect of this would be that we should. have to raise out of taxation £90,000 in the first year, a sum which would grow until in the fortieth year it reached over three millions. After the fortieth year -it is anticipated; that the ofrests wpuld become more than self-supporting, and after eighty years the net revenue should^ be £17,500,000 at present prices. This represents 3$ per cent on the net cost calculated at accumulated compound interest of 3 per cent, or a net profit of J 'per cent on each £100 borrowed. The State will then possess property worth £562^00,000, or £107,000,000 in excess of the total involved in its creation. As to employment, it is calciilated that permanent work is given to one man per. 100 acres afforested — that is, to 1500 men per year. Temporary employment would be afforded to 18,000 men during the winter months, for it is one of the at^ tractions of afforestation that a good deal of the work connected with it can be done inthe winter as well and as profitably-as at any other time. In addition to the 18,000 men it is computed that aii equal number might indirectly derive' employment in the incidental and subsidiary occupations connected with forestry. It is evident from the reception of the report that if the G-ovenime.nt' decide' to'legislate on the lines .indicated, ; they.' would .not meet with "much opposition. •