WarkEn.—On State Forestry. xli 
with regard to the proportion of the forests to be thrown open for settlement 
from time to time with a view to opening out gradually, and first as much as 
possible in places where the timber has a marketable value. Andthe waste 
land may therefore reasonably command a higher price on account of 
the timber standing on it, instead of as now, particularly in Welling- 
ton, being sacrificed along with thousands of pounds worth of tim- 
ber at a mere nominal rate in order to attract a few settlers. I say boldly 
that this system of pushing settlement in localities not ripe for it, and in a 
Colony where there is still plenty of room for settlers, and sacrificing very 
valuable property in so doing, does not commend itself to me at all as being 
really for the best interests of the Colony, and I hope and believe, that if I 
am rightly understood, the Government and popular feeling will agree with 
me. If so, we should, by throwing open for settlement from time to time 
portions of the waste forest lands of the Crown, secure a price for the tim- 
ber, or enhanced price for the land, which comes to the same thing, with 
the further indirect advantage that purchasers would probably set a higher 
value on the trees, and utilize, not destroy, those of economic value. Bo 
much for the actual disposal of forest lands not suited for reserves, and re- 
quired for extension of settlement. I propose also to lease out to saw- 
millers blocks of the Government forest, not at present the reserves, to be 
worked on payment of a royalty or tithe of so much per 100 feet, and to 
require all parties indenting on the Government forests for building or 
fencing stuff, firewood, ete., to take out licenses on payment of seignorage 
or royalty, and fell, split, and remove what they require, in certain places 
to be prescribed from time to time, and not at will. I would make abso- 
lutely no exceptions to this rule. All should pay—squatter, miner, free- 
selector, etc. Everyone requiring timber from a Government forest should 
pay for it; but I would make such payment very light, and do everything 
in our power to save inconvenience and unnecessary interference, by the 
issue of annual licenses for firewood, upkeep of post and rail fences, ete., and 
especially in the case of squatters and farmers cutting on their own lease- 
hold or neighbouring Crown forests. As regards the trade more particularly, 
our object would be to induce saw-millers to first enter on and work blocks 
of forest adjoining settlements. When they had taken all that they could 
profitably work up, give them new blocks further in, and allow the splitter 
and firewood-chopper to take what they can off the first block before its 
outright sale. This system has been tried in Southland to a certain 
extent, and as an experiment I consider successfully. The Waste Lands 
Board in that district have withdrawn from sale all the forests, which are 
extensive, and find no difficulty in getting saw-millers to work blocks on 
payment of royalty, or in collecting license fees, though the means at their 
