16 POSITION OF AFFORESTATION QUESTION 



woods for commercial purposes is concerned, has been 

 nil. Not a tree has been planted. In 1887 a Parlia- 

 mentary Committee considered this question and made 

 recommendations. Had these been given effect to 

 and had planting on a considerable scale been under- 

 taken as a result, we might now have had a series of 

 woods from which we could have drawn a supply of 

 pit timber for the mines. Well-grown woods of this 

 age are, where they exist in this country, actually 

 being cut down for this purpose at the present moment. 

 But we did nothing ! Again in 1902-3 a Departmental 

 Committee of the Board of Agriculture reported on 

 the subject. Unfortunately it did not advocate any 

 large planting scheme, but made valuable recom- 

 mendations on the subject of a more extended system 

 of forestry education. Effect was given to these 

 recommendations in different parts of the country, 

 and the question has since received hearty support 

 from the Development Commissioners. But no plant- 

 ing was done. In 1908 a Committee appointed by 

 the Department of Agriculture in Ireland recommended 

 a scheme of planting up 700,000 acres in that country. 

 Purchases of land for this purpose by the State were 

 commenced in Ireland and the work has since received 

 considerable support from the Development Com- 

 missioners, and what may be termed a State Forestry 

 Department has come into existence in Ireland. 



In 1906 the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion 

 and Afforestation was appointed. The Committee 

 examined numerous witnesses, including all the expert 

 advice procurable, and issued its Report in 1909. 

 This Report recommended the planting of 9,000,000 



