NATURE—AND MAN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 127, 31 May 1937, Page 6

NATURE—AND MAN

“TREASON, STRATEGEMS AND SPOILS.” PLOTS AGAINST THE PUBLIC. (Ediled by Leo. Fanning.) Bright boys and girls of the high schools know that the words “treason” and “tradition” have the same origin, the Latin “iraditio,” which has the basic meaning of “gi\ing over” or “delivery.” Now let us glance for a moment, at the definition of treason in a modern dictionary. “The betrayal of a trust, or confidence; breach of laith; treachery; violation by a subject o fnis akeg-ance to his sovereign or to the State.' ago the term “treason’ had rather u restricted application. An act ot basic [jatriotism, tne movement ut a brave man for public welfare against a tyrannous, cruel king, v.a.s C.c-nov.::ced

as “treason” if he failed. Happily the position is (iincrent today in the British Commonwealth of Nations. Selfish despotism has gone for good. The Crown has become a symbol of justice for the general public. The King is not so much an individual head of a Royal family as the central figuie of State. Therefore a crime of treason to-day would consist more in action against the State than against the actual person of the King. In Germany the word "treason” is applied in a very wide sense to behaviour against public welfare.

Well, friends, from that viewpoint New Zealand has some cases of treason. Any permit for the slaughter of a protection forest is a “betrayal of a trust or confidence;” because it reduces the productive capacity of a piece of country; it means a permanent injury to the State. The same comment applies to permits for the destruction of fertile country in the quest of gold—the sacrifice of priceless assets for temporary advantages enjoyed by a few persons. It is a betrayal of posterity; it is a ruinous "giving over”; it is "treason” within the scope of the quoted definition. This kind of treason has gone on for many years. Will it be checked by the new conservation movement in which several Ministers of the Crown are actively interested? Will the "rattling” of the treasury or nature be quashed? Power With the People. Of course, the people of New Zealand can stop the spoilaation of the national estate whenever they wish, collectively. The trouble is that the public as a whole is never organised for its own welfare. Meanwhile, it will be beneficial if every member of the public does some thinking such as this. “New Zealand is my New Zealand, but not for my selfish purposes; the State Kauri Forests are mine; Mt. Egmont is mine; the Wanganui River is mine; Tongariro Park is mine; Marlborough Sounds are mine; the Southern Lakes and Fiordland are mine; the Westland forests are mine; I must do my best to have these assets safeguarded for my children and my children’s children, on and on.” While this train of thought is running, readers are invited to meditate on the following article “Natural Resources and Liberties” in American Forests:— “The loss of the great tulip tree in Kentucky is distressing, not because one tree makes much difference, but Decause it shows the utter indifference of the Kentucky people to conservation. It again puts me in mind of a conversation I had with the late Professor Richard T. Fisher in the Harvard Forestry School nearly 3U years ago. (I have quite often quoted it in public addresses.)

“One of the students had asked Professor Fisher whether in his opinion Massachusetts forests would be in a better condition in a hundred years and if such weedy growth as gray birch would have been cut out io allow the best timber to develop. Dr. Fisher said that either the forests would be in better condition or there would be no United States of America. He then went on to state that he didn’t mean by this that the loss of trees would destroy the country, for lumber could undoubtedly be had elsewhere, but that any people which neglected to conserve its natural resources would undoubtedly neglect to preserve its liberties and therefore would fall either to foreign enemies or to domestic tyrants.”

Were I to choose I’d like to be A green old tree. I’d like to reach up very high To touch the soft blue sky, And yet to keep my humble feet In a grey city street. In blossom time I’d be, by grace, A wayside holy place, And shake my stilly iragrance down On all the passing town; If one green pathway to the sky Grew tiresome, couldn’t I Send out a slim young branch to uc A brand-new path for me? All day I’d spin me golden dreams From little broken sunbeams, At dusk I’d watch the Lady Moon Put on her silver shoon; And ah! so far from yielding breath To a grey, sad-eyed Death, How glorious, when 1 was old, To burn away in gold! Even I, who have not touched the sky Can understand just why An acorn works so hard to be A green old tree. —ANNE SUTHERLAND, ln American Forestry