GENERAL INTRODUCTION 13 



the arrival of Europeans. It is impossible to give any but 

 the roughest estimate of the area covered by forest, when the 

 first white men reached New Zealand, but it was undoubtedly 

 very great. In 1893 the area still bush-clad was estimated at 

 twenty millions of acres. This acreage is being reduced 

 annually by an amount of not less than 100,000 to 200,000 

 acres. Clearly, our forests will last only a comparatively short 

 time if this rate is maintained. Of course, only a very small 

 proportion of timber is removed and utilized. Most of it is 

 burnt on the spot. Much of this destruction has been inevi- 

 table, but some of it, unfortunately, has been wanton, The 

 remark of Sir Julius Vogel, " that a swagger would burn down 

 a forest to light his pipe," is perhaps somewhat of an exaggera- 

 tion, though it must be confessed that some of the finest 

 kauri forests have been destroyed by such acts of carelessness. 

 Happily, most of the bush is too damp to be in danger of 

 accidental burning. The bigger trees must first of all be 

 felled, and the forest afterwards set fire to in the drier season 

 of the year. However necessary this clearing may be, it can- 

 not fail to leave with the lover of nature a feeling of sadness. 

 The Hon. W. P. Beeves (High Commissioner of New Zealand 

 in London) has well expressed this sentiment in a noble poem , 

 He has kindly given his consent to its publication here. The. 

 final stanza is, we believe, now for the first time printed. 



THE PASSING OF THE FOREST." 



All cannot fade that glorifies the hills, 



Their strength remains, their aspect of command, 

 Their flush of colour when calm evening stills 



Day's clamour, and the sea-breeze cools the land. 

 With shout of thunder and with voice of rills, 



Ancient of days in green old age they stand 

 In grandeur that can never know decay, 



Though from their flanks men strip the woods away. 



