The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 1891.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 9087, 20 May 1891, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 1891.

— — ♦ • • Tube-planting in a bush district would seem to be an almost unnecessary work ; but when it is considered that the land is being cleared almost as fast as it is being: sold — and there is an utter absence of any attempt to cultivate trees - indigenous to other countries to replace those destroyed — the time, must eventually come when- the neglect will be regretted. - There is an .anecdote told of a young American farmer who was urged to set out tome apple trees, "ftp,"

said he, " they are too long in growing, and I don't want to plant for other people." The young farmer's father was spoken to about it ; bnt he, with i better reason, alleged that " appletrees | were slow ani - life was fleeting." At ! last someone mentioned it to the old grandfather of the young farmer. He had nothing else to do, so he stuck in some trees, and he lived long enough to drink barrels .of cider made from the apples that grew, on the trees. In a new country like Nevr Zealand, people like the young farmer look for a return for their outlay in the shortest possible period. Unfortunately they do not care to wait for a few years, even if it could be proved that a double profit wonld be attached, to their investment ; consequently, planting trees seems to have presented no very great attraction as a private enterprise. Many years ago an Act was passed for the " Conservation of the State Forests," and an appropriation of £10,000 a year was provided to be set aside out of the consolidated revenue for the purpose of carrying on the operation provided by the Act. In 1885, however, that- measure was re•pealed.and a fresh one passed. The reasons which induced Parliament to do it were three in number. First, that the permanent appropriation of £10,000 a year towards the State Forest Fund was found very inconvenient to the Treasurer of the day to set aside ; the second, and perhaps more powerful, reason was the constftution of a new and separate department, in which. > the salaries of three , officers ,were permanently -provided for. A strong feeling existed at the time against the creation of fresh departments, especially as the gentleman who was to have been at its head was to be nominated from India. The third, and last, reason adduced was that Provincialism prevented the old Act from being brought into operation. * In those days the Provincial -authorities administered the land laws, and the leaders of the party, seejng that the Act would wrest from them their territory, resented every step that tended in the direction of central, administration. The Act passed in 1885 may be said to be free from the objections which were raised with respect to the. Act and its amendments during the: years 1871-72-79. There was no permanent appropriation to be proposed, no officers to be imported from abroad to- carry out its provisions, and no Provincial party to obstruct the working .of . the Act, as it provided that " any of the, powers given to Conservators oi State Forests can be exercised only with the consent and approbation of local bodies exercising jurisdiction within the district. " The County authorities and Road Boards may be said to have control of all matters coming within their jurisdiction. The Act is still in force, but as no money is provided by the State to enable those who would plant trees to do so, it remains a dead letter. Experience has proved by countless incidents that the denudation of once forest-clad countries has totally altered the rainfall and made waterless wastes. Humboldt, as well as other observers, h&s laid down the principle that wooded tracts powerfully affect the clmiate by screening the soil from the heat of the sun's rays by the immense' surface these, leaves offer to the cooling process of radiation, and the copious evaporation of moisture from the leaves. Besides . ; .this they maintain an equal temperature, control the regular flow of rivers, and arc a source of perennial springs. Whilst the promotion of settlement by the Government will result ia the increased wealth of the country, the promotion of forest culture would be a direct benefit to the whole community. It is much to be regretted, therefore, that the Government abandoned the duty of forest cultivation, for by this time a large revenue would have been coming in-irom the sale of the wood, thus reducing the taxation of the country. .Sir Julius Yogel says his plantation- scheme would in time have, payed off the colonial debt ; if so, it was a great pity that State Forest cultivation was abandoned. It was then objected that Government and Parliament were taking, up too many things and interfering too much with private enterprise; but Government and Parliament have saddled huge debts on posterity, and it would be in accordance with economy if they had, by a moderate expenditure, set growing at the time they raised the loans forests of choice and valuable timbers which, whilst we are sleeping or awake, would be maturing, and their sale would ultimately meet the encunibrance. Under the Act in force, the Government has power to enter "into agreement, with local bodies, subject jfco moneys for the purpose being voted by the General, Assembly, to give them subsidies for planting reserves, or for the establishment of plantations." There. is.not, therefpre,, an argument in favour of dairying and agriculture generally, which does not hold, even in a stronger degree, in favour of the utmost encouragement of forestry.