SOCIETY S MEETING WITH INTERIM FOREST AUTHORITY. 21 



ing effect the war has had would result in large areas of land 

 being stocked with timber, but I am equally confident that the 

 results will not be permanent nor enduring unless the movement 

 is carefully fostered and assisted by the State. The report of 

 the Forestry Sub-Committee has, I believe, been carefully 

 studied by the majority of north country landowners, and the 

 impression I have received is that the salient features have met 

 with their approval. 



" A number of proprietors— a much larger number, I might 

 say, than I had expected — have informed me that they are 

 prepared to plant the whole of the afforestable land on their 

 estates at their own expense, and to follow any lead that may 

 be given them in this direction by the State. All that they need 

 is the assurance that the State is in earnest in regard to the 

 business, and that they are really wanted to grow timber. They 

 would be prepared to carry out the planting operations in 

 accordance with any scheme which might be prepared in 

 consultation with the State forest officers, and, although receiving 

 no assistance from the State, would be willing to place their 

 woods voluntarily under State supervision, paying all the costs 

 of planting and the incidental expenses themselves. Other 

 proprietors have informed me that they are, unfortunately, not 

 in a position to undertake the planting of more than a proportion 

 of the woodland areas on their estates, and could only plant 

 the remainder if they were to receive assistance from the State. 

 One proprietor whom I could mention said that his position was 

 that he would be able to maintain under forest all the land 

 which was now stocked with timber on his estate, but could not 

 plant much more. If, however, he were to receive assistance 

 from the State, say, in the shape of a grant of £2 per acre 

 planted, he would be prepared to extend the forest area by over 

 1000 acres. Another proprietor informed me that he intended 

 planting 30 to 50 acres per annum if the work had to be 

 undertaken solely at his own expense, but in the event of his 

 receiving the £z grant he would be prepared to double or treble 

 the annual planting area. A third class of "proprietor is the 

 proprietor whose lands are burdened to such an extent that he 

 has no money available for planting, and from discussions which 

 I have had with proprietors who are in this position, I have 

 formed the opinion that their case could often be satisfactorily 



