§ 67. Mr. R. McNEILLasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if the men engaged in felling timber to Government order are in the habit of burning all the tops and branches of felled trees, thus wasting large quantities of wood that would be valuable as fuel; and if he will give instructions to put an end to this systematic waste by having this wood carefully preserved and sold?
§ Mr. WARDLEMy right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. It is sometimes necessary to burn this material to prevent the spread of pine weevil, but wherever practicable it is given away or sold cheaply for firewood, or allowed to be removed free of charge.
§ Mr. McNEILLDoes the hon. Gentleman not know that it is the habit all over the country to burn this wood in large quantities, and that complaints are made from many parts of the country of the waste so occasioned?
§ Mr. WARDLEThere are difficulties in the matter. In many cases the purchase contract contains stipulations, and in other cases the shortage of labour is a. difficulty.
§ Mr. McNEILLWill the hon. Gentleman make inquiries as to the extent to which this practice is going on, and take steps to see that the waste shall be minimised as much as possible, having in the meantime satisfied himself that it is going on to a much larger extent than he imagines?
§ Mr. WARDLEIf my hon. Friend has any information, I shall be obliged to him if he will give it to me. We are anxious to minimise waste as much as possible.