1920.] Hutchins.-—Geowth of Trees in Relation to Forestry. 7 
to work to plant the poor hills stretching up between the Tinakori Road and 
Johnsonville, all the trees would be of introduced-species. Native trees 
would have no chance of being grown there economically. 
In restoring a kauri forest it is doubtful whether a ful] plantation of 
kauri-trees could be made economically ; but interplanting a few standards 
in the native bush could certainly be done to yield large profits. 
Again, if it were required to produce the present imported railway- 
sleepers in New Zealand, nothing could touch gum-trees in the north for 
this purpose. Or again, if it came to planting the sandy peninsula in the 
extreme north of New Zealand, here only gum-trees and introduced pines 
would be used. On the other hand, to destroy average native forest on 
poor soil, instead of working and improving it, as is done in other countries, 
is surely sheer waste—a repetition of Charles Lamb’s roast pig ! 
Shortly after I came to New Zealand I heard about the trees in the 
Auckland Domain, and at the end of 1916 measured them, the result being 
given in my report on New Zealand forestry referred to above. Near the 
native trees in the Domain are introduced trees growing two or three times 
as fast. At the bottom of my notes I wrote, “ Plant the introduced trees, 
conserve the native trees.” That seems to be the only conclusion that 
can be drawn from either Mr. Maxwell’s measurement or mine. 
The jarrah forests of Western Australia (on which, to our shame, New 
Zealand railways are now mostly run) have at their best an average stand 
of about one-sixth that of the millable forest of New Zealand. The new 
Forest Act is designed mainly for the conservation and improvement of the 
jarrah forests. When introducing the Bill the Hon. R. T. Robinson, K.C., 
in his historical speech said, “ Let honourable members not mistake me. 
There is no planting. This [improved] stand of trees is obtained solely by 
the art and by the craft of the forester.” 
A SCIENCE INSTITUTE FOR WELLINGTON. 
By Sir Robert Stout. 
What an enormous change has taken place in reference to education during 
the past thirty years in our Empire ! There is talk now everywhere of the 
need of the teaching of science and of the endowment of research. There 
are more demands made now on our Minister of Finance for funds for 
education than the most sanguine educationist could have dreamt of thirty 
years ago. It is sometimes well to look back and see the land from which 
we have come. It may not be uninteresting to deal with the proposal 
which was not carried in 1887. 
In 1879 the need of higher education was felt amongst many educationists, 
and ultimately a Commission was appointed to consider the needs of the 
colony so far as University colleges were concerned. The report of that 
Commission was that there' should be two new University colleges started 
in New Zealand, one in Auckland and one in Wellington. At this time the 
Otago University had been open for about eight years, and the Canterbury 
College for about four years, and they were both doing good work 
