498 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Noy, 1899. 
INSPECTION OF TIMBERS FOR EXPORT. 
In concluding this paper, I must not omit to draw attention to the 
probability of a larger export trade in our Queensland timbers. in the near 
future. When that trade arises, and large orders are received from the United 
Kingdom or from the continent of Europe for log timber suitable for railway 
sleepers, wood-paving, furniture-making, &c., it will become of paramount 
importance to retain the business. To this end all timber for export should be 
examined and passed by a Government inspector, who would, after approval, 
affix the Government brand to such timber. Tf this is not done, there is 
nothing easier than to bring our timbers into disrepute in the home market by 
mixing them. If we profess to supply that market with a certain class of 
timber, it should be the duty of the Government to see that none but the very 
best of that class is shipped, without intermixture of any kind. The inspectors 
would naturally be stationed at the port of export, and also at certain portions 
of the State forests where timber is being cut to order. They need not be 
resident at any particular point; but their services should be always available 
when they are required. 
Of course the foregoing remarks are merely crude suggestions, which would: 
require much thought and study to reduce to workable shape; but 1 venture to 
think that they may form a groundwork on which to build up a thorough 
system of forest conservancy in our colony. 
The belief that it is high time that something were done in the way of pre- 
serving our forests from annihilation, appears to be steadily gaining ground. 
And not only is this so in Queensland, but in the neighbouring colomies and in 
the United States of Amerien. Indeed most civilised nations have either taken 
energetic steps to renovate their forests, or are on the eve of doing: so. In 
Western Australia excellent work is being done in forestry. From the last 
report of Mr. J. Ednie-Brown, Conservator of Forests in that colony, we gather 
that its progress in the timber industry during the. last three years has been 
immense, and almost phenomenal. ‘The value of the marketable timber now 
erowing in Western Australian forests Mr. Brown places at £124,000,000, and 
he considers even this large amount as an under estimate, and he emphasises the 
statement that it is most necessary that the’ forests should be properly looked 
after by systematic conservancy to ensure their permancy. If dealt with now 
in an enlightened manner, the forests of that colony have a bright future before 
them, and will become a lasting, revenue-producing asset of the State. 
“ Nothing,” he says, “worth speaking of has yet, been done to ayoid making 
their future management anything other than a success. This fact must be 
gratifying to all concerned, and is certainly encouraging to those who have the 
privilege and honour of instituting such a complete modern system of forestry 
in the colony as will entitle these forests to be recognised as one of the most 
important and reliable resources of the country.” 
The total output of sawn stuff of all sorts from the sawmills of West 
Australia last year was over 822,000 loads, representing a gross value of about 
£2,000,009. Since it may be said that the timber industry has only become of 
much importance during the last three years, it is natural to expect that it will 
enormously expand in the future, and that, under a proper system, the Govern- 
ment, which at present obtains an annual revenue of only a little over £23,000; 
will receive more than double that amount from timber leases, licenses, aD 
royalties on timber. The total expenditure of the Department for the year 
ending 80th June, 1898, amounted to only £3,954 16s. 1d. 
We have persistently printed articles on forest conservancy in this Journal, 
and the letters we have received on the subject conclusively prove that a widely- 
spread interest in the question exists. For instance, one farmer (Mr. William 
Main, of Sunny Bank) writes to the following effect : — 
“Everyone who has given thought to the matter must sympathise with your 
frequent remarks on the destruction of valuable timber, an article on whieh 
from another pen, also appears in your June number. Jt seems to me, however 
that this is a question with which the ordinary bush farmer has nothing to do 
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