[?] Erromanga

[?]E Unexpected

[?]Ealth

[. Claude Rouleau, Well

L known in the New Hebrides (where he narrowly escaped wning when the small vessel ; was wrecked on Tanna last r), writes enthusiastically of the her resources of Erromanga, in southern end of the Group, I. Rouleau remarks that, lough the days of South Sea enture as portrayed by the vensons and O’Briens may have led, still, for the adventurously ided of to-day, there are other ds in the Islands. One such 1 is the vast, unexploited timber nirces of Erromanga. >ur correspondent says that the loitation of this rich island— lowed with an equable climate, ich soil in which every kind of iperate zone vegetable and fruit

may be grown, where there is no fever, and where stock does ex cellently—has no doubt been held back through the island’s early his tory of savagery.

M. Rouleau declares that the density of the forests is so excep tional that the forestry people of Australia and New Zealand would find it difficult to believe that such a stand of timber exists. The den sity of kauri and tamanu is con siderable. Over 150 million super feet of good timber have been actually surveyed; but it is more likely that twice that amount is available.

Roads would have to be built and considerable capital put into bull dozers, milling machinery, shipping, etc., but —with Australia’s building needs—this vast quantity of excel lent timber at her doors should easily provide the stimulus for the necessary capital outlay.

Mr. Lane Pool, Australian forestry expert, after visiting Erromanga, described the forests in a radio broadcast as the most beautiful he had ever seen.