MITIGATION OF FLOODS IN THE HUNTER RIVER. 113 



The State of Neiv South Wales is mainly made up of 

 paddocks ! The paddock is the unit in considering the 

 effects of erosion. Much of the mischief has already been 

 done, but intelligent conservation of existing and future 

 trees has vast possibilities for good. It ought to be made 

 penal to ringbark up to a certain distance from a water- 

 course, or to cut down a River Oak on any of the rivers 

 (water-courses), except under a special license only to be 

 obtained after due enquiry. The reason of the suggestions 

 is because improper ringing or felling affects the riparian 

 owner lower down, and he has quite enough difficulties to 

 contend with which are beyond human control, to be victi- 

 mised by the ignorant act of his fellow man higher up the 

 stream. I could give an instance where a man cut down 

 river oaks to make culverts ; the river oak timber is now 

 perished, and if he had gone but a few yards away he could 

 have got almost imperishable ironbark. He now has to 

 repair his culvert, but his river oaks are gone, his banks 

 are falling away where he removed them, and a larger 

 culvert is now required. In the case of a casual labourer 

 this would have been termed living from hand to mouth. 

 In the present instance it is miserable expediency and 

 opportunism unworthy of thinking men. If the result of 

 acts like these would alone affect the doer, we could view 

 the matter with complacency. 



a. Shelter for Stock should be adequate. — Shelter for 

 stock is necessary; a few acres of trees should be left and 

 not an odd tree or two which die out. The ruthless cutting 

 down or sapping of trees has its basis in self-interest. A 

 man desires to get the fullest advantage out of his land, 

 and until it comes home to him that he is acting against 

 his own interest in not conserving sufficient trees he will 

 blunder along. In my view the advantage of leaving 

 adequate shelter for stock is so obvious as not to be arguable.. 



H— Aug. 6, 1902. 



