86 REPORT— 1867. 



The main propositions of the author as rep:ards New-Zoalaud forests were the 

 following: — 



1. Its present forest area is extremely small in relation to what it evidently was 

 in times comparatively recent. A variety of e'^'idence points to the conclusion that 

 nearly the whole country was at one period luxuriantly forest-clad, the exceptions 

 being the snow-covered barren alps of the interior. 



2. The remnants of the primitive forest still existing are rapidly disappearing 

 under the following combinations of destructive agencies : — 



I. Natural. 



A. Current geological changes. 



1. Alterations in relative levels of land and water— especially 

 a. Local subsidence of former. 

 h. Encroachment by sea sand on the coasts. 



c. Erosion of coasts b}' the sea, and of the margins of lakes and banks of 

 rivers and streams, especially during the storms and floods of winter. 



B. Current meteorological or climatological changes — avalanches, glaciers, 



wind-storms, lightning, winter ton-ents and floods (direct agency). 



C. Current zoological agencies — wild animals {c. y. birds and insects) eating 



bark, tearing up saplings, devouring seeds or seedhngs, burrowing under 

 the bark or within the timber. 



II. Artificial. 



A. Indirect or accidental. 



(1 ) Cattle and wild pigs. 



(2) Bush fires. 



B. Direct or deliberate. 



(1) Bush-clearing for agricultural purposes. 



(2) Timber-cutting for [a) building, (y) fencing, (c) fuel. 



(3) Track-making for men or cattle. 



3. This destruction, which is more or less necessary or inevitable, is materially 

 hastened by the reckless and improvident, or illegal and culpable, timber-felling both 

 by colonists and natives, — more especially as regards the former by 



(1) The abuse of the wood-cutting license ; and as regards the latter by 



(2) Deliberate destruction in connexion with their superstitions. 



4. With this improvident and mmecessaiy destruction there coexists a great 

 scarcity of timber, both for fuel and building, in many parts of the colony, rendering 

 expensive imports indispensable. 



5. No adequate legal check or provision exists for the prevention of abuses and 

 the protection of the forest interests. On the other hand, 



_ <;•. There exists apparently, on the part both of Colonial Governments and colo- 

 nists, a blind indiffc'rence to, or ignorance of, the importance of 



(1) Preserving to the utmost in a healthy state of growth the old or virgin 



forests. 



(2) Forestalling their inevitable disappearance, or replacing them, by the sys- 



tematic cultivation of new forests, whether of 



A. Indigenous, or 



]j. Exotic (acclimatized) trees. 



(3) Forest cultivation in relation to climate. 



7. Many important problems await solution, attecting both 



(1) The economic value and applications of the existing indigenous timbers, 



and 



(2) The rearing of new forests, 



which scientific experts, or systematic experiment, are alone probably 

 capable of solving, e. _r/. : — 



(1) A. The best season for felling native timbers in different localities. 



B. The comparative durability in salt and fresh waters. 



C. Their power of resistance to marine boring animals. 



(2) The determination of tlic species, indigenous or exotic, most suitable for the 



various purposes of building-timber, shelter, fuel,&e., as respects 



A. ITapidity of gro-'-.th. 



B. Facility of acclimatization. 



C. Ultimate or permanent economical qualities. 



