66 TIMBER SUPPLIES AND FAMINE PRICES 



Comment on the above figures is scarcely necessary. 

 They are a dhect outcome of two facts — the first, an 

 ahnost total lack of interest on the part of the nation 

 as a whole in all pertaining to the economic questions 

 involved in commercial forestry and the maintenance 

 in these islands of that acreage of woods managed 

 commercially which our population and industries 

 demand ; and, secondly, to the failure on the part of 

 the Governments of the past fifty yars, to go back no 

 farther, to realise the position in this respect which 

 would confront the nation in the event of just such 

 a European conflagration as has taken place. The 

 Government existing in this country 250 years ago 

 was more clear-sighed. True, it may be said that 

 out " wooden walls " of that day and the necessity 

 for maintaining them were factors which both Govern- 

 ment and the public could more easily grasp. But 

 no Government of the present day would care to 

 shelter itself behind such a plea. Our economic needs 

 in timber are far greater now. We have only to look 

 at the gigantic imports — they rose by £12,000,000 

 in the four years from 1909 to 1913 — to realise this. 



The next four articles are devoted to pointing out 

 the manner in which it should prove possible to bring 

 down these prices and to ensure our timber supplies 

 in the future. 



