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TASMANIAN DEVELOPMENT
Work of Federal Com-
mission
Imperial Forestry Con-
ference
Interview With Mr. Gepp
An interesting outline of the Tas-
manian side of the Commonwealth
Development and Migration Com-
mission's activities, and the steps
to bo taken in tho near future to
put into effect the recommenda-
tions made by Mr. W. E. Rose and
Dr. Finlay as the res.lt of their
recent investigations in Tasmania,
was given by Mr. H. W. Cepp, the,,
chairman of the Commission, when
interviewed by a special represen-
tative of "Thc Mercury" in Mel-
bourne.
Asked what steps the Commission was
taking to tackle the problems peculiar
to Tasmania, Mr. Gepp said that at pre-
sent Dr. Finlay was in Hobart with '.ls
junior assistant to havo a talk with tl,j
Premier about some of the agricultural
points. "Towards the end of this
mr nth," he went on, "I Intend to go over
to Tasmania myself, and will be accom-
panied by Mr. Rose ho recently car-
ried out an economic survey of Tas-
mania. Tile lirst thing wo shall do
will bo to have a talk with tho Premier
and then with tho State Development
Advisory Board. The idea is to run ]
over tho recommendations which Mr.
Rose and Dr. Finlay have made in their
reports, and to discuss them in full
detail, and lo get myself personally
posted on the ipot with the í rs
which they have developed In their re-
port in order that the necessary steps
may be taken as early as possible for
the detailed investigation of a number
of other industries on similar lines to
the investigation made by Dr. Finlay
on the agricultural side.
"Take forestry, for Instance, i had a
confidential talk with Mr. Irby, the Con-
servator of Forests, while he was over
ii Melbourne, and we will follow that
up In detail with tile Premier and the
Minister controlling tho Forestry De-
partment as soon as wo reach Hobart.
In the meantime, our discussions aro
proceeding by letter at regular intervals
as our thoughts and ideas develop."
SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION.
Mr. Gepp went on to say ho had re-
cently had a discussion with tho execu-
tive of tho Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research in regard to the
work tiley were doing on the grnas
grub, fungus diseases of hops, and such
other matters as the council were con-
cerned with in Tasmania. The coun-
cil would also take up the question of
forest products and timber seasoning in
more detail as soon as the Development
Commission's work on the general econ-
omics of forestry had advanced to the
point when they could put specilic ques-
tions. The Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research had a special man
coming from India In regard to forestry
problems, including the seasonnig of
timbers, and as a result of that, he un-
derstood the council was proposing to
map out a programme of work in con-
nection with tlie wholo question of for-
est products and forest pests. One cf
tile most important things that would
happen in regard to forestry was rho
Imperial Forestry Conference to be held
in Australia in October, 182s, concern-
ing the arrangements for which a con- j
let once had been held in Melbourne last
week, and attended on behalf of Tas-
mania by the Hon. A. G. Ogilvie (thc
Minister controlling forestry) and Mr,
Irby (the Conservator). At that con-
ference, over which Mr. Ogilvie had pre-
sided, ho had reported on tho results
ot the work ot tho sub-committee on
forestry at tile Imperial Conference in
London last year, on which ho (Mr.
Gepp) had represented Australia. Judg-
ing by tlie interest and enthusiasm
I shown at tho Imperlnl Conference, he
! was sure there would lie a thoroughly
representative gathering of experts from
ball parts of the Empire nt tho Imperial
Forestry Conference in Australia next
year, and that it would bo of great value
to Australia.
Reverting to the question of tho in-
vestigation of tho economics of Tas-
mania by tho Development and Migra-
tion Commission, Mr. Gepp said that,
generally speaking, they were now con-
sidering the reports by Mr. Roso and
Dr. Finlay in detail in order to arrange,
with tho concurrence ot tho Premier
and the State Development Advisory
Board, for reports by the best exparts
available on the different industries and
different subjects. After the receipt cf
these reports, they would consider them
ia detail in conjunction with the Tas-
manian authorities, and then decido
what their recommendations should be.
TASMANIAN REPORTS.
In answer to a question as to when
tho reports by Mr. Rose and Dr. Finlay
were to bo published, Mr. Gepp said they
.wore too voluminous to bo published at
the moment, but after his consultation
with tho Premier he thought they would
have summaries ot tho points which
would be of interest prepared for pub-
lication. Emphasising the enormous ex-
tent of the many problems with which
tho Commission had to deal, Mr. Gepp
went on:. "Tho problems of Tasmania
aro in many cases so inter-related with
th' problems ol' the mainland that we
can only, move on a certain basis, de-
pendent on tho limitations of time and
stair, to give the Commission tho neces-
sary broad vision of the whole problem
in Australia which is essential. For
instance, take tho North-"Wost Coast and
the production of potatoes. There are
periods of shortage and periods of over-
production-conditions which apply not
only to the North-WeBt Coast of Tas-
mania, but to all tho other potato-pro-
ducing areas of Australia, such as Bal-
larat, Gippsland, New South Wales, and
tlie question of what can bc done during
theso gluts and shortages, in Holland
there aro large factories which tako sur-
plus production and tlie less sulable
qualities of potatoes and turn them into
other products, sucli as glucose starch,
and potato Hour. This matter is hav-
ing consideration by tho Commission
as an Australian problem, but obviously
ono with a very distinct bearing on tho
prosperity of the North-west Coast of
Tasmania. That is only ono of tho in-
numerable points which must all have
consideration."
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