WASTE LANDS 31 



varying conditions obtaining, are worthy of considera- 

 tion. To put them as briefly as possible the methods 

 open to us are : 



(«) The lease and afforestation of waste lands by 

 Government, the proprietor sharing in the expenses 

 and profits. 



(b) The lease and afforestation of waste lands by 

 Government. 



(c) The purchase and afforestation of waste lands by 

 Government. 



Any one of these methods should produce satis- 

 factory results given a correct choice of method for a 

 particular locality and efficient management. If public 

 funds are to be sunk in this industry, and the war can 

 have left us in no doubt now that a certain sum will 

 have to be allocated for the purpose, efficient manage- 

 ment is a sine qua non. Such management can only 

 be obtained by the establishment of Forestry Branches 

 in the Departments of Agriculture with their own 

 personnel and funds. Commercial forestry cannot 

 come into existence in the absence of such branches, 

 and unless the matter is treated ^lely from the business 

 and commercial point of view the public money de- 

 voted to it will be wasted. It is unnecessary here to go 

 into the details of what " efficient management " 

 implies. Both Government and public ahke may rest 

 satisfied that they have in this country men who are 

 fully capable of carrying out afforestation schemes 

 without the waste of pubUc money entrusted to them 

 for the purpose. It is no longer necessary to go to 

 Germany to seek advice. In fact, Germany has far 

 too long clogged our feet in this'Tnatter, both in this 



