FORESTRY COMMISSION.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13775, 16 July 1913, Page 5

FORESTRY COMMISSION.

REPORT BEFORE1 PARLIAMENT.

AFFORESTATION NECESSARY.

GOOD COMMERCIAL PROPOSITION

[United Press Association.]

x Wellington, July 15. The Forestry Commission's report was presented to Parliament to-day.

The report is a voluminous document covering a wido scope. It is recommended that 119,200 acres in Southland be set asido for climatic reserves, also 53-i,6oo.acres in Westland, 947,000 in Nelson, 58,300 acres in Marlborougb, and 93.-820 in Wellington. Tho Commission is of opinion that no scenic reserves should bo diverted from their original purpose without there being the ■strongest possible reason for so doing.

The- Commission recommends that the Government acquire for prcservortion all the stoop banks of the Wanganui river uot^ alroady reserved, and where tlie land is not suitable for settlement. The Commission recommends that the Government should acquire a,s .forest reservations all the steep lands bordering on tho Mokau river, and that certain Crown lands in arid districts be exchanged therefor. , On the subject of milling forests the Commission recommends that the solojurisdiction should, be vested in the laud boards, and that in regard to tho payment of half royalties to local bodies they should only be paid on timber which is conveyed by road. ■ . Dealing with afforestation, t<he Commission estimated that tho amount of timber consumed yearly in New Zealand is 358,000,000 feet', and that in 35 years it will be- 716,000,000 feet. On 31st March, 1912, the Stato plantations were 15.870 acres in extent. At tho present rate of j)lantjng, namely 2j66 acres in 1911-12, tho total yield when converted would bo 128,300,000 feet, which, at the present rate of consumption, would last about four months. The Commission considers that at least two 'and a half times the acreage of ■I hat planted in 1911-12, should be planted. Turning to tho question of financial purpose, the Commission considers that an aero of pinus' radatia would produoo ] 50,000 feet of timber at the age of 35 years. Taking the value of the laud at £2 per acre, the figures would work out as follows: Expenditure on 10,000 .acres, planted at £8 per acre, at 4% per cent compound interest for 35 years, £873,360;-rental value of land on the above basis, £73.346; annual maintenance charge at 6s per aero on same basis, £254.488 : total expenditure £691,194. Estimated receipts for 10,000 acres, yielding 150,000 feet per acre, at 2s per hundred fwt, £1,500,000. Deduct tho expenditure of £691; 19-4, and a total of £808.800 is loft. If those- results could be obtained it would mean a profit of nearly £91 per acre, and would aliow the timber to be retailed at from 10s t o lls per 100 superficial feet. The Commission expro-ssc© the opinion that given cheap land, economical management, and the right kind of trees to f>lant. afforestation can be mad© a highy profitablo investment to the Jitato. The Commission recommended: (1) That the Prisons Department should have a credit noto for the valuo of nil work done by prison labour: i' 2) that -I, 1, per cent interest should bedebited .annually to the cost of the previous year's operations; (3) that the rental value of the land, as assessed by the Government Valuation Department, .should bo debited to tho forestry account

The necessity for ailorestation was manifest. Tho time- might come when ■nianv countries would forbid the expert ] of "home grown timber. There was jinod reason" for tlio countries of the Old World to plant commercial forests. Tho Commission, recommends that private persons planting trees should get these at cost price, and that planting by pm:itv individuals, •should b* .onooura^ed by a remission of taxe% or othorwi&e, on a certain per centage cf tho total aroa of the estate which, has hoen planted to tho satisfaction of a forestry board. Afforestation by local bodies'should al&o be encouraged.