Timber Trade.

Progress, Volume XIV, Issue 12, 1 August 1919, Page 577

Timber Trade.

Government Forestry Policy.

West Coast Protests.

In response to a request from a “Post” reporter, Sir Francis Bell, Commissioner of State Forests, recently made the. following statement regarding his conference with local bodies and milles on the West Coast of the South Island:—

“I Avas invited ,to meet a conference of various local bodies of the West Coast of the South Island at Hokitika on Ist July to hear their objections and those of the sawmillers of the West Coast to the recent forestry legislation and regulations, and, on my part, to explain their effect. There was a very large attendance, including representatives of all local bodies, of the sawmilling industry, and of chambers of commerce. Addresses Avere delivered by several gentlemen, putting before me the various objections to the legislation and regulations as affecting the income of local bodies and general industries of the West Coast. The local bodies are entitled to a part, and in some areas to the whole of the royalties derived by the State from timber cut upon CroAvn lands, but are not entitled to any part of the revenue from royalties in State forests, and therefore the j recent proclamation of a large part of the timber mining, areas of the West Coast Avould have later the effect of reducing the revenue of local authorities, and has the immediate effect of superseding the authority of the warden, whose jurisdiction does not extend over State forests. I admitted at once to the conference that the revenue

question must be adjusted so that the local authorities should not be, in their present finances; hampered by the change from Crown lands to State forest lands. I was unable to pledge my colleagues as to the extent of the adjustment, as the Minister of Finance was absent from New Zealand, and the matter had, therefore, not been 'fully considered by Cabinet, but I tried to make it plain that the object of the new forestry departure is not to obtain revenue, but to maintain forests. • • ,

“But the revenue question was only a minor part of the reasons offered against the policy. That policy had been declared by me in a statement to the Commissioners of Crown Lands to be that the forests of, New Zealand should henceforth be used ■ to provide timber for the people of New Zealand and not for the purposes of people beyond New Zealand, and therefore that export must be gradually reduced, and finally become a vanishing quantity. And, further, that, while all timbei ripe for cutting might be cut now, it was insisted that where the land was not suited for settlement the growing trees unfit now for cutting should be preserved for the future, and the felled trees replaced by planting in the original forests. Land fit for settlement must be cleared of timber, whether ripe or unripe, but land not required now for settlement lippn which forest grows is to be maintained as forest both in the present and in the future, and that forest is to be the indigenous forest of Now Zealand. Planting is to be carried on to a greater extent in the future than in the past, but planting is to be upon open land, and is to be an addition to, and not a substitution for, the indigenous forest, planting being principally of exotic trees. The Wes! Coast timber consists principally of rimu and white-pine, and the demand for both timbers in Autralia has increased very greatly and very rapidly in recent years. As an example, the export of rimu timber to Australia was eight million feet in 1914. and it increased to 40 million feet in 1918, and the export of white-pine has increased at such a rate as prac tically to leave the prospect of white pine for future use a blank within a very few years.

“The argument for the West Coast was; First, that the trade in timber was the trade which the Avhole West Coast now looked forward to as its principal industry; secondly, that large mills had been erected, and valuable machinery, procured for the export, trade; and thirdly, that the conference was satisfied that it Aims useless to endeavour to keep growing rimu, unfit for cutting, for future purposes, and the best and wisest course would be to cut the rimu-and kahikatea as fast as possible, and sell it as fast as possible. And, inasmuch as the local demand could be easily supplied by a very small part of the intended production, that free export without limit should be allowed. It was contended by at least one speaker that the whole of the rimu ought to be destroyed, and hi its place pinus insignis replanted. Certain objections were made to the diminution of the jurisdiction of the wardens, and also to the intention of the State For-

estry Department to require in the new licenses for every area reserved for specific mills that, where the land was not fit for settlement, only such tree should be cut as the forestry officers marked, and that, where land was fit for settlement, the timber milled should not be exported. It was contended that the „ imposition of the new conditions in the licenses for reserved areas was a breach of the understanding upon which the mills were located upon their actual licensed areas, and amounted to a breach of faith with the millers. The principal question, however, and the main subject of difference between myself, as Commissioner for State Forests, and the conference, was that I felt compelled to adhere, to the policy of preserving the forests for the people of New Zealand, and the conference demanded the right to cut without limit, and to export without limit. And, inasmuch as T felt it my duty to make it clear that the present Government would not depart from the declared policy of constituting provisional State forests and gradually reducing export, so that New Zealand timber should be exclusively for New Zealand inhabitants in the immediate future, the conference ended by a declaration by Mr. Seddon, the member for the -district, that he would use all his influence to prevent the policy being carried out, and the formation of a kind of general union to prevent the continuance, even for the present, of the Government policy.”

, “To myself personally,” Sir Francis Bell added, “the conference showed every courtesy and consideration, but with one or two exceptions, I think all present were much disappointed with the result of the interview.”