24

C—3a.

(«,) It should provide for the settlement of difficulties, grievances, controversies over interpretations, enforcement of regulations as prescribed by the Director in pursuance of his authority under the Act. His decision on matters which do not come under the jurisdiction of the Court should be final (always in consultation with the Crown Law Office, &c). (/.) It should provide for the closest co-operation and co-ordination with all other Government Departments. (g.) It should provide for the effective safeguards of the Civil Service, with internal authority to recognize and reward merit and efficiency. Briefly, there is required by law — (a.) A forest authority (Forest Service). (b.) The formation of a consultative Forest Board. (c.) Provision for a directing executive head qualified by technical forest training. applied experience, and executive ability. (d.) Provision for delegation of authority and discretionary power to the Director, and by him to his subordinates. (c.) Provision for the settlement of grievances, difficulties, (fee, by the Director. - (/.) Provision for close co-operation with all other Government Departments. (g.) Provision for (he functioning of Civil Service machinery with internal authority to reward merit and efficiency. Aspect, No. (3) (principles determining the effectiveness of the Act and organization). —The effectiveness of the organization (forest Service) will depend on the provision made in the Act for—(1) Adequate funds for forest:-management projects; (2) efficiency of the personnel and force; (3) proper equipment; (4) general diffusion of forest knowledge; (5) sale and disposition of the products of the forest, whether timber land, timber-trees, kauri-gum, or other commodities; (6) control of cutting, classifying, measuring, manufacturing, and exporting; (7) technical education; (8) a Forest Products Laboratory and Division of Research and Investigation; (9) appropriate penalties for Ihe enforcement of the law. General. To ensure the successful operation of the Forest Act there must be harmony; and to secure it there must be the fullest co-operation between the Administration (Forest Service) and the public—for in the last analysis it is the public that will decide whether it is a good law or a bad law : their judgment is final. The forest administrative authority can be counted upon to do its part if there is assured— (1) Clear expression of policy by Ihe legislative authority: (2) the delegation of a straight line of authority to the directing head; (3) consistent support by the legislative authority; (4) recognition of service and merit; (5) adequate development funds. THE FOBEST SERVICE. What is a Forest Service ? The general idea prevalent in New Zealand is that the planting of young trees is the chief end of forestry. This may be true of South Africa and Australia, but in New Zealand, where there are large areas of public forest land carrying mature timber which is sought after by private individuals, as well as large areas of devastated forest land covered with young trees (the hope of the future), the Forest Service must be organized on the basis that all that pertains to the management, administration, and protection of timber lands is forestry. By this concentration of management in one Service economy of organization and efficiency in administration can be secured, whether it is the development of a progressive timber-sale policy, the economic study of forest industry ami forest products, the protection of forests from fire or theft, exploration and survey of forest resources, inspection of logging and milling operations, timber measuring and estimation, collection of revenue, classification of timber land, or treeplanting. There must be no reservation of the forest Service to State forests, for a forest organization capable of administering the national forests, which are t\ie hope of the future, is certainly capable of administering the other public timber lands, which are the mainstay of the, present. The Work of the Forest Service. The first essential, therefore, is a Forest Service equipped witli funds and powers to work out a forest policy. It will be the duty of this Service to work out a businesslike administration that ensures a conservative and wise use of the Dominion's timber resources, and aids in the continued prosperity of the agricultural, timber, mining, and manufacturing interests of the country. The work, therefore, of the Forest Service should consist in the administration and protection of the Dominion's forests, the development and utilization of their resources, forestextension on State and private lands, research into technical problems in connection with forestry, and the discovery and diffusion of knowledge concerning the best use of forests and forest products. The Creation and Retention of an Efficient Service. The men employed in the Forest Service should be alert, active on every occasion on which promptitude is demanded, of sound judgment, and with a high sense of duty. After all, in such