CUTTING OUT HER TIMBER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17526, 1 May 1925, Page 7

CUTTING OUT HER TIMBER.

AUSTRALIA’S FORESTS. “ ALARMING POSITION.” By Telegraph —Press Association— Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received May 1,2 p.m.) • SYDNEY', May 1. A comprehensive report has been, submitted by Mr C- Lane Poole, Commonwealth forestry adviser, to the Minister of Home Territories, Senator l'earce. He states: “We are importing 42.18 per cent of our timber requirements. a figure which in view of the youth of Australia and the relatively small population is very disquieting. The {Kieition is rendered still more alarming when the nature of our imports and local productions is examined.’’ Mr Poole asserts the importance of the industry is quite overlooked in the Commonwealth.. The only State -with an apparent surplus ot timber is We. - Australia, which in 1923-24 exported 133,500.000 super feet, of which about one-third went to other States, an 1 the balance overseas, but West Aus tralia is cutting out her jarrah and kauri forests six times as fast a** they are growing. Were she to cut out according to forestry rules, that is cut only the increment of her forests. she would have no timber to export. “While the area of the forests of fhe Commonwealth is set out in the year books as 69,054,000 acres, foresters’ estimates of the true forest land place' it at 24.500.000. Instead however of producing 12,000,000,000 super feet, these forests are producing only 587.-500,(XX) super feet. “The inadequacy of our hardwood forests is due to the gross overcutting that has taken place in the past and to the very paltry efforts the States have made to restore their forests and so manage them as to get the maximum yield per acre. The condition of our forest heritage of 24.500,(X)0 acres is that it i 6 mainly covered with a bad growth of uneven aged timber, which has grown up more or less haphazardly after ibe sawmiUers have picked the best out. Their increment has been cancelled by loss through fire and other causes. The area actually dedicated as forest is only 10,502,634 acres. Only in two States. New South M ales and Victoria, axe the financial resources at the disposal of the forestry authorities in any way commensurate with the work to he carried out. There they are also lacking in trained foreat-