AFFOEESTATION OF CATCHMENT AKEAS 81 



ditions suggested, the method of assistance by grants, but 

 was of opinion that the amount of grant per acre should be 

 higher. He considered the proceeds-sharing scheme pro- 

 posed in the Eeport to be less favourable than the Liverpool 

 agreement referred to above, and to be surrounded by con- 

 ditions which he would not advise any local authority to 

 accept. In his opinion it would be a partnership with all 

 the power and authority in the hands of one partner. 

 Preferably the Forest Authority should be allowed to take 

 over the whole business and pay the local authority a fair 

 rent for the use of the land. 



Various subsidiary arguments may be adduced in favour 

 of planting these gathering grounds. Water power will be 

 available, by which the successful working of the forest may 

 be greatly helped. Saw-mills and wood-working machinery, 

 driven directly by water power or by electric motors, would 

 contribute to the profitable utilisation of the trees by the 

 conversion of the timber to marketable sizes and by the 

 production of wood pulp, matches, wooden implements, and 

 other articles. At the end of the war, when large numbers 

 of soldiers will be disbanded, immediate work would be 

 found for men accustomed to rural labour if Corporations 

 were called upon to begin at once the afforestation of their 

 water catchment areas. Planting work is carried out in 

 winter, when labour is less needed in building and other 

 trades. It is supposed to be the intention of the Govern- 

 ment to proceed at once with large afforestation schemes 

 as soon as peace is declared ; but the acquisition of the 

 necessary land in sufficiently large blocks from private 

 owners will take up much time in preliminary surveys 

 and negotiations. No scheme sufficiently attractive to 

 induce private landowners to co-operate vigorously in the 

 planting of large tracts has yet been devised. In the case 

 of land owned by Corporations there need arise no diffi- 

 culty in starting this useful national work and establishing 

 as soon as possible a timber reserve in these islands. 



Mr. George Baxter, C.E., says that the main difficulty at 

 present in Scotland is the want of powers by the Corporations 



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