THE DOMINION’S FOREST.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2644, 28 October 1909, Page 3

THE DOMINION’S FOREST.

.REPORT BY THE MINISTER OF LANDS.

I (Special to “Times.”) WELLINGTON, October 27. The Forestry Report presented by the Minister of Lands in' the (preface, states that the necessity for dealing with forestry upon business-like and comprehensive lines 'is becoming increasingly more important and that State recognition of tho matter is now practically universal. The, present ,pdsition of timber supply and demand is as follows: —Out of a total area of 66,568,876 acres in New Zealand about 17,094,003 acres are still covered with forests. In 1886 the forest area was estimated at 21,196,966 acres. Of the present area it is estimated that there is growing within Grown and State forests and on private and Native freehold lands a gross, total of about 33,000,000,000 superficial feet of timber, that is or may eventually prove suitable for commercial requirements. The output of sawn timber for the past year amountl ed to 413,868,919 superficial feet, and will probably advance to an average of from 450,000,000 superficial feet fio 500,000,000 superficial feet for the next fifty years, thereby giving an anticipated ' period of about forty years within which our indigenous forests can meet the full demand. As against this the stock of trees in State nurseries and plantations amounted to 47,835,217 : at 31st March, 1909,. of which no less than 6,231,479. had been planted during the preceding twelve months. The total area of land planted with forest trees at the same date was 12,175 acres, of which 2709 acres had been planted-fair-ing the previous year. Referring to the countries likely fo he in a position to export timber for our requirements, the report says it would seem that the bulk of our timber imports must come from Canada, or perhaps Manchuria, that Australia will still be able to furnish hard woods and eucalypti and that no' good .supply can be reckoned on from elsewhere. The outlook therefore is not too promising. Vast as Western Canadian forests may be at present the certain enormous drain on their resources from the United States will diminish the supply available for other countries, and a higher price will have to be paid gradually for tTIS timber that is purchased in- America. It therefore seems certain that present- tree planting operations can be extended with advantage and that by so doing New Zealand will act wisely. Reviewing the quantity of timber suitable for milling purposes the report states that a large amount is situated in hilly and mountainous country, difficult of access, and the quantity per acre may be too small to warrant the expense of erecting a sawmill. The distance from a railway may also debar working at present. Bearing those matters in mind,” the reports proceeds, “it will be readily conceded that it will not be possible for many years to come to' utilise much of our milling timber for commercial purposes, and although every effort is made by. millers to reduce. the cost of cutting to a minimum, yet unless certain natural advantages are associated with an area, of forest land, its early _ use is very doubtful. When it is.noticed that out of a total area of 17,094.003 acres now under forest no less than 7,054,681 acres have been, sold and the timber thereon may be cut and destroyed at any time, whilst the timber in all Crown forests is available for sawmilling and will doubtless be eventually us<.h! for that purpose it cannot be denied that an. area of 2,002,717 acres (or only 31 per cent of the total area of the Dominion) is a very small proportion to keep covered with forest.” In reviewing various land districts report states that the export of timber from Hawke’s Bay may be expected to be small for some time to come. It adds there still remain extensive forests in Motu, (north portion of Poverty Bay) that may eventually prove of great use to sawmillers. The completion of the Gisborne Rotorua railway with a branch through tho north part of Poverty Bay, is expected to create keen demand for the timber in these districts.

The Hawke’s Bay Commissioner in his local report states that in the PoA r erty Bay portion of the district there are estimated to be 650,240 acres of land on which is standing forest made up as follows:—State forests and Crown lands, 208,875 acres; Crown lands, leased, 89,685; Native lands, 338,539; private freehold land; 13,141. Motu is credited Avith 300,000 acres of forests on CroAvn lands and State forests, and other reserves in Poverty Bay are set doA\ r n at 104,960 acres.