2nd Progress Report - Part 2

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This transcription is complete

be called between the Lands Department and the Forestry Department; and there will have to be a certain amount of give and take between the two departments so as to delimit, at the least expense possible, the forest reserves and agricultural land.

12096. By the CHAIRMAN : I know this next question is very difficult to answer. What general policy is being laid down for the further development of the forest reserves in the south-west, and to what extend can future forestry development be projected hand in hand with agricultural development ?—The general policy from a forestry point of view is that of conservation rather than exploitation. The policy which I have laid down—it has not yet been adopted—is to reserve all the prime timber belt. That is the first step. The second step is to confine milling operations to that quantity of timber which the forest will grow; not to the amount of timber that can be exported. The third part of the policy—and the second in point of importance—is to initiate a system of forest operations for the cut-out areas, with a view to improving those areas and putting them into such a position that they can regenerate themselves, so that we may get back the forest cut over in the past. It must not be forgotten that there is an area of 1 ½ million acres cut over on which not a penny of money has been spent. The policy of the past has been to exploit, to pour into the coffers of the State all the money derived from the forests, and not to put a penny back into the forests. The question as to how far future railway development can be projected with land settlement, is difficult to answer. It all depends in what state we find our forests in, whether it is found possible to allow further mills to work or to restrict the present mills that are working. It cannot be said at present how we will find the country until the classification is completed. There is no doubt that the cutting of timber in Western Australia has increased at a very alarming rate and that, in spite of the findings of the Royal Commission which sat in 1904. The findings were perfectly clear on that point. I will read what the Royal Commission said because their remarks relate very much to the question you have asked. They said— State acquiescence in the destruction of good timber only because the export trade demands it, is a crime against coming generations; and any attempts to increase the export in the interests of foreign companys, or with the object of inducing more men to join in timber getting at the expense of posterity, need wise resistance.

The export in 1904 was valued at £654,000. In 1913, the year prior to the outbreak of the war, the exports was valued at £1,089,000. Though the Royal Commission's findings were adopted by a previous Government they have been flouted and saw-millers have been encouraged to increase the timber exports instead of restricting them. The future policy in this State will be, briefly as I have stated before, conservative lumbering. That is an American term, but it covers the position in two words better than I can express it.

12097. That being so, it would be reasonable to expect that Forestry Department would not be anxious to see any further exploitation of the karri forests in the south while there is so much timber for which a ready sale can be obtained so much nearer the coast ?—That is so. Our main difficulty is that we have no population to absorb the small timber which is not saleable abroad. At present we simply cut orders for overseas markets and anything that does not make an order, whether it happens to be a sleeper or other piece of timber specially required by Ceylon, goes on the fire shoot for the reason that the miller cannot stack it in his yard; he has no room for it.

12098. That tendency increases as you get further from Perth ?—Yes. Even near Perth it is quite impossible to so cut the timber that they can do it on a conservative basis and sell their scantlings. It is cheaper to burn it than to try and sell it.

12099. What is the percentage of square timber which is being obtained at the State mills ?—It has varied a lot; it has been as low as 32 and as high as 40. The average would be about 36 per cent.

12100. Is that a creditable recovery or not ?—It is a shocking state of affairs because in karri we have one of the finest timbers which can be used to constructional purposes and we have turned it into sleepers and we have powellised it so as to make it durable. In all other parts of the world only waste timbers are used for sleepers. In Western Australia sleepers have been regarded as the criterion to work on. If our timber is not good enough for sleepers, it is not good enough for anything. The sleeper trade has done the greatest damage to the forests.

12101. How long have the State mills been in operation ?—I think they started in 1914.

12102. Have you any idea how many loads of timber they put through in a year ?—I cannot speak from memory. When both mills are running, they do 100 loads a day, or 30,000 loads a year. Since the war broke out they have reduced work to one mill.

The Manjimup mill was responsible for 50 loads.

12103. There would be about 270 loads when all are working ?—I should think so.

12104. In three years that would be 800,000 loads ?—But they have not cut continuously. They have been closed down half the time at Big Brook and their output has fallen off considerably since the Trans-continental sleeper contract came to an end.

12105. What do you estimate is the economic loss in the timber which might be saved if the timber were reserved for future use ?—There is a percentage of the timber which must be burnt, that is, rotten heart, and there is also sawdust which must go. You could add 25 per cent. to those figures of easily convertible timber. There is also a great waste in the forests themselves. Only the very best trees are cut down and remainder are so destroyed by the falling that they are of practically no use afterwards. They have also got into the habit in that particular permit, which has never taken place in Millars' or Davies' areas, of cutting their timber too high from the ground. It has become a bad habit. On the areas they have been over there is about five loads of good timber per acre left in long butts which might have been recovered.

12106. Have your rangers complained ?—We have endeavoured to stop it.

12107. Do you find that the department takes notice of it ?—They have been trying to do better but they are in a difficult position. They do not want to lose their fallers. It is all done by kindness. We cannot force anyone down there.

12108. I am curious about the figures. Assuming that the output of the mills was 150 loads a day, or 900 loads a week or 270,000 loads a year, in three