§ 76. Mr. Harold Daviesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give an estimate of the total stock of marketable mahogany left in British Honduras; and what schemes of afforestation are now being carried out.
Mr. Creech JonesThe area of forest in British Honduras is estimated at rather over 8,000 square miles of which exploitable hardwoods cover some 6,000 square miles. I cannot give accurate figures of the value of mahogany standing in this area but there is no doubt that the annual cut in past years considerably exceeded the increment. Future policy will be concentrated on the regeneration of mahogany and the finding of markets for useful secondary timbers. The Government has since 1945 had power to control the rate of felling on private estates and will also in future require more systematic working of existing concessions.