Lercoy.—The Forest Question in New Zealand. 7 
With respect to the leasing of the forest lands it may be asked—why 
should not any disposition of the Crown forest lands follow the same course 
as that applying to any other property ? that is to say—why should such 
public property be disposed of otherwise than at a price representing its 
real value, so as to obtain the legitimate profit for the public purse ? 
The interest that the present bush licence or leasing system affords to 
the State is “nil.” To the public it affords timber and wood on con- 
ditions more or less advantageous. On the other hand, the detrimental 
effects resulting from such leases are great :—First, the forest is generally 
worked indiscriminately, without any care for its regeneration, thereby 
effecting every year the absolute destruction of forests which had just 
yielded produce to the markets of enormous value. 
On that score the lessee may say that it is not his business or duty to 
select and reserve trees which may be required for the purpose of securing 
the regeneration of the forest. 
On the other side the public may argue that the law of the country 
having enacted as a principle that public forests “are to be subjected to 
skilled management and proper control," the actual destruction of the 
property through indiscriminate working cannot be considered lawful. 
The period of years for which these leases are granted at almost nom- 
inal prices, would lead to the idea of an admitted permanent stagnation in 
the timber trade, which is not compatible with the fact of the incessant 
progress of the colony, otherwise the leases would constitute a monopoly of 
privileges, and thereby be an injustice to the people, who all have to contribute 
proportionately towards the State expenditure, and who are therefore entitled 
to claim the ** jus omnium in omnia.” 
However, all legitimate rights must be recognized and protected, and it 
is obvious that a new forest administration tending to extend the timber 
trade to an enlarged sphere of operations, would greatly benefit the lessees 
of our forests, and they, no doubt, would be glad to join in just and profit- 
able reforms. 
II.—Srare Forests: PRELIMINARY OBSERVATION. 
The establishment of State forests has for its object, not only to 
provide for a regular and permanent supply of timber and wood, but also 
to maintain the protection given by nature against the disturbance of the 
climatic equilibrium, the occurrence of droughts, the disastrous effects of 
flood-waters, etc., ete., experience having shown the preventive or modifying 
influence, as the case may be, of extensive forest areas. Furthermore, that 
the conservation of these woodlands, intended for the general interest, should 
not be entrusted to the management of private persons as purchasers of 
them, because forests, considered from a financial point of view, being almost 
