Forest Destruction.

As was inevitable, the settlers, in the process of clearing the land, made some mistakes which have had grave effects on the countryside. The destruction of the forest on the slopes of the Tararua Ranges and the consequent injury to the river sources made the valleys subject to floods, the natural result of hastening the run-off of the rainfall and the melting of the snows. This initial blunder in the breaking-in of the country unfortunately is being repeated to-day in many parts of New Zealand, and even the sources of city and town water supplies are not exempt from the greedy destruction of the indigenous bush clothing that forms their natural protection.

Another cause of forest injury, in the eastern parts of the province, is the presence of great herds of red deer. Once upon a time these large numbers of deer were regarded as a great asset of the more rugged bush areas, for they attracted many stalkers from the Old World, who considered that the quality of the heads they obtained was sufficient reward for the expense and trouble of hunting in so rough and out-of-the-way country. Now-a-days deer are regarded as a nuisance and stationholders are glad of the assistance of stalkers in reducing the numbers of the roving herds.