NATURE—AND MAN.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18874, 18 February 1933, Page 8

NATURE—AND MAN.

POWER OP THE PUBLIO. PRESSURE FOR PARLIAMENT. (By Leo Fanning.) WUisperlng tree, whispering tree. What are you watching, What do you see? “Pm watching the dawn,” I heard It reply, “As the priest or the mom Lifts the Sun-God on high.” "Pm seeing the grasses That cover the lea, Bending In homage," It whispered to me. • tji i “Pm smelling the Incense From flowers that nod, And hearing the song-birds Sing praises to God.” —.Herbert Parker. An Amerioan writer, in a recent “clarion can” to a conference on wild life, remarked:—-“Are you really interested in wild life—the kind in the country, not the night clubs? Sounds silly, but it isn’t as silly as it sounds; for comparatively a mere handful of men and women are trying to carry the huge burden of restoring all desirable species of wild life to a reasonable abundance." Similarly the New Zealand Native Bird Protection Society found itself rather lonely In the past, but it has now a strength whloh. commands re--1 spect in high plaoes. Apart from its widespread membership, it has power among the people of various districts who are recognising that the Society is not working for itself but for the national welfare. All Can Help. That term, “dear reader," used by many writers in Victorian times, may be old-fashioned now, but I feel tempted to give it another airing, because many messages of encouragement continue to come from readers of "Nature —and Man." Well, here is an attempt at a suitable reply:—“Dear readers, you are the general publio, stronger than Parliament, mightier than Ministers of tho Crown. A Government may make changes which you may like or dislike, but you have the power to tohango ministries. There is an old saying: ‘Great is truth, and it shall prevail.’ Another adage, equally true, is: ‘Great is publio opinion—a'nd it must win.’ A 'Strong public opinion on behalf of native birds and the conservation and extension of forests must compel any Government to take the right c-ourse of action for the national welfare. Dear readers, take every opportunity to help friends and relatives to reach a proper understanding of the vital importance of common-sense preservation of national assets. The mere feeling that you are a New Zealander helping New Zealand will be a very pleasing reward." Inspiring Leadership. Even without big leadership, an enlightened enthusiastic publio can make history, but of courses it Is all the better to have a leader eager for the national good. That is why many people, in tho United States of America are glad that Mr Roosevelt has been elected President, for ho Is in the front of the movement for conservation of national resources.

“Let us use common sense and business sense," he said recently, “and Just as one example we know that a very hopeful and immediate means of release, both for the unemployed and for agriculture, will come from a wide plan for the 'converting of many millions of acres of marginal land into timber land through reforestation. “There are tens of millions of acres east of the Mississippi River alone in abandoned farms, and cut-over land, now growing up in worthless brush. Why, every European nation has a definite land policy and has had one for generations. We have not. “Having none, we face a future of soil erosion and timber famine. It is clear that economic foresight and immediate employment march band in hand in the call for the reforestation of these vast areas.” Urgent Need for Action. In New Zealand, as in America and other countries, there Is an urgent need for action against erosion of land, the source of life for humanity. An indication of the need of a vigorous progressive policy from President Roosevelt is seen in a leading article In a recent issue of “American Forests.”

“Nearly forty years have passed since Senator Nowlands first urged the creation of a national plan for the conservation of water, and other resources,” the editorial ran. “To-day with more than ten millions of men out of work, with millions of idle acres spewing silt and debris Into our streams and reservoirs, with increasing recognition of the necessity of ample water supplies for the nation, and with knowledge adequate for protection and development, of our water resources, wo continue to do little or nothing. Our wastes have been magnificent. hut. it is not. too late: now when tiie, nation is aroused to the responsibility of offering men a livelihood is perhaps the logical time to get under way.” That- comment applies in full to New Zealand, which can show some disastrous wastes, as previous articles have proved. Begin tat the Top. Senator Nowlands insisted that the lower Mississippi could not bn controlled by hemming the stream with levees and proleeling the banks with revetments; and relief would come by delaying, obstructing and using the

waters in their upper courses. “ The destructive application of the water is below," he deolared; “the beneficial use of the water is above; and we insist that it Is Just as much a national problem to proteot the beneficial uses of the water above as to mitigate the terrors of the application of the floods below." In various parts of New Zealand one may see big expenditure in flood threatened lowlands without intelligent efforts to control the flow of water in the high country. Forests are the best regulators of that flow above the upper courses of streams. Sentinels of the Wild. “As is well known, nearly every group of wild creatures has a military organisation for defence purposes; one feature of this system is the posting of sentinels,'" writes Archibald Rutledge. “In this precaution the common crow is systematic and exacting. When the flock is feeding, there will be one or more watchmen posted on elevations suitable for observation. “ One day a big flock of these dusky marauders visited my field of young Corn. A black sentry was perched on the top of a dead pine on an adjacent ditch-bank. By getting down in the ditch. I evaded the guard and was able to fire into the flock, dishevelling several and routing the whole thieving company. The dismay was naturally great; but even In the pitch of their hasty retreat thoy did not forget a primary duty. At least a dozen crows, with loud cawlngs of disgust and clamorous blame, attaoked the sentry, beat him unmercifully, even while all of them were in preolpltate flight, and drove him in disgrace, net only far over the forest, but, I believe, completely out of their fellowship. His vital duty had been to give warning of the approach of an enemy. Technically he had been asleep at his post, and as a result met immediate punishment and probably lasting disfavour.”