FORESTRY IN N.Z.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 458, 20 May 1932, Page 7

FORESTRY IN N.Z.

A Return to Activity Anticipated. The general committee of the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Forestry League met last evening. Matters in connection with the league’s exhibit at the next A. and P. Show were discussed, and it was resolved that the exhibit this year should comprise native timbers and trees. The chairman said the necessary arrangements would be put in hand in good time. The chairman (Mr C. E. Foweraker) briefly addressed the meeting on the present position of forestry' in New Zealand. He stated that every branch of forestry from seed collecting to sawmilling was ia.a greater state of depression than had been experienced in the memory of most people. As to what the Forestry League could do in the meantime he could only suggest that members keep up their faith, maintain a spirit of optimism and look forward to a return of forestry activity. He pointed out that .New Zealand still possessed good forest resources: there were over 121 million acres of indigenous forest, of which a good proportion was merchantable; exotic plantations owned by the .State, private companies, municipalities, local bodies and private individuals exceeded an area of half a million acres. If the total volume of merchantable timber in the indigenous forests alone be roughly estimated at 42i thousand million superficial feet, and roughly valued at 2s per 100 superficial feet while still standing in the bush, this would give a total value of £42,750,000. The exotic plantations, too, .would be of immense value in the future both for certain classes of timber and for wood pulp. A few years back the sawmilling industry flourished, employing over 6000 men, with a pay roll of £1,500,000 annually’, and producing an output worth £2,750,000. The unsawn timber industry producing poles, posts, sleepers, pit props, etc., used to be estimated at producing 64,000.000 cubic feet annually'. worth £1,250,000. Surelv these industries would return and be further augmented by an up-to-date and extensive wood pulp industry’. Forest products in some form or other were used by every individual in the community. The forest industries —planting, maintenance of forests, sawmilling, and the secondary forest industries such as building, wood ware manufactures, etc., were inextricably interwoven with the social welfare of the people and in normal times absorbed a large army of workers of all grades. Forestry in its widest sense could not he dormant for long and he exhorted the members of the league to maintain a faith in forestry even in these times < f quiescence.