Hamilton. — On the Forests of New Zealand. 155 



be spared — at any rate for the present. I even hope that 

 before long, when bush-lands are put up for sale, in all large 

 blocks such natural reserves will be described, and, if not 

 reserved or protected, that the purchaser will have his at- 

 tention drawn to the possibility of conserving that portion 

 and the desirability of its being done. 



It may, perhaps, be of some interest to the members if I 

 give you some account of how some of the European nations 

 manage their timber resources, and how far civic rights over- 

 ride private interests. 



In Germany the schools of forestry are in the highest state 

 of development, and expert knowledge is easily procurable, 

 and is widely diffused through the Empire ; and probably it is 

 owing to this that the actual laws regarding the use of private 

 forest property are less stringent than among other nations 

 who have paid less attention to the subject. The various 

 Governments own and manage in a conservative spirit about 

 one-third of the forest area, and they also control the manage- 

 ment of another sixth, \Yhich belongs to cities, •\'illages, and 

 public institutions, in so far as these committees are obliged 

 to employ expert foresters, and must submit their working- 

 plans to Government for approval, thus preventing improvi- 

 dent and wasteful administration. The principle on which the 

 control is based is one which we recognise when we limit by 

 law the indebtedness any community or town may incur. The 

 other half of the privately-owned forests is managed mostly 

 without interference by trained foresters, who receive their 

 education in one of the eight higher and several lower schools 

 of forestry which the various Governments have established. 



In Btivaria, Baden, Wiirtemberg, and other prmcipalities, 

 clearing without the consent of the -authorities and devastation 

 of private forests are forbidden, and there are also some regu- 

 lations regarding the maintenance of protective forests ; but, 

 altogether, the laws are not stringent. 



In Prussia, which represents two-thirds of Germany, 

 private forests are absolutely free from governmental inter- 

 ference. When, however, a neighbour fears that by the 

 clearmg of an adjoining forest his land may be injured 

 he can call for a viewing jury, and possibly obtain an in- 

 junction against the clearing, if such anticipated .damage is 

 proved. The Government can also make application for such 

 a process in cases where damage to the public can be proved 

 from a wilful treatment of a private forest. The tendency of 

 the Government has m practice been rather towards per- 

 suasive methods. Thus, in addition to buying up or acquir- 

 ing by exchange and reforesting waste lands — some 300,000 

 acres have been so reforested during the past twenty-five 

 years — the Government gives assistance to j^rivate owners 



