340 journal 01' forestry 



Western Australian Forestry 



Western Australia has entered the forestry world with most radical 

 legislation as a result of a short period of propaganda by a committee 

 and the conservator, Lane Poole. The striking features of the legis- 

 lation are the removal of the forest branch to the Department of Mines 

 from the Department of Lands, the former being supposed to act more 

 disinterestedly in questions of land matters. 



The Conservator of Forests is placed in office for seven years, re- 

 movable only by a vote of both the lower and upper chambers of the 

 legislature. He is given all powers of a commissioner over all West 

 Australia forests, now estimated at 3,000,000 acres, of which 1.300,000 

 acres have been cut over and 1.500,000 acres are under lease. 



The conservator is furnished with a definite source of revenue, with- 

 out the necessity of each year going before the legislature, in that one- 

 half the forest revenue is each year set aside for forest work under 

 his direction. This will amount to about $135,000 annually, as com- 

 pared with about $60,000 expended in 19 14- 15. As the program de- 

 velops, it is anticipated that additional funds will be provided. 



The setting aside of forest reservations by the conservator and elabo- 

 ration of working plans are to have force of law for ten years and the 

 conservator is empowered to organize his own department. A plant- 

 ing campaign on the waste lands is also provided. Further details may 

 be found in the Canadian Forestry Journal, February, 1919. 



The report of the forestry subcommittee of the Reconstruction Com- 

 mittee, contained in that of the Development Commissioners of Great 

 Britain for the year ended IMarch 31, 1918, has been issued. The com- 

 missioners had set forth the advantages of leasing and proceeds-shar- 

 ing in their scheme of reforestation as compared with a system of land 

 purchase, and these methods have been approved by the reconstruction 

 subcommittee, with a view to reducing expenditures necessary in case 

 of acquiring land by purchase. The extensive felling of forests during 

 the war has emphasized the national importance of home-grown timber 

 supplies, and the commissioners urge the importance of the immediate 

 preparation of afforestation schemes. They recommended grants for 

 extension of State forest nurseries, for preliminary arrangements for 

 leasing and other proposals for afforestation of privately owned land, 

 for survey work, and for salaries of forestry officers for advisory sur- 

 vey and research work. Carrying out the suggestion that they con- 

 sider the suitabiHty of the areas for schemes of economic forestry and 

 submit definite proposals for areas for which the department is pre- 



