STATE FOREST SERVICES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16573, 4 November 1921, Page 4

STATE FOREST SERVICES.

INCREASED EXPENDITURE. During last year the preliminary organisation of the State Forest Servic© was undertaken, as outlined in the Director’s report to the Commissioner of State Forests and which been presented to Parliament. This important work lias involved the subdivision of the country into conservation regions, the appointment of the necessary preliminary skeleton staff, a'nd the securing of office accommodation and equipment, says the Budget’s report of the State Forest Service. Under the authority of the State Forests Amendment Act, 1919, 1.518,756 acres of national endowment lands have during the year been proclaimed provisional State forests, and under section 34 of the War Legislation and Statute. Law Amendment Act, 1918, 269:252 acres of Crown land have been similarly proclaimed provisional State forests. With areas previously proclaimed the total area of provisional State forests is now 5.134,651 acres. These provisional State forests will be carefully examined by Forestry officers, and areas found to be more suitable for settlement will, after disposal of the timber, be withdrawn from reservation and made available for settlement. Proposals to ensure the future efficient management of permanent State forests are now being prepared by the Director of Forestry. At the plantations the total area planted with exotic timber trees during the year was 1381 acres. This area is the smallest planted for some years, and this is accounted for by the fact that the plantations had not received proper attention during the war. Work was therefore largely devoted to replanting and consolidating the area previously planted. The net expenditure for the year was £79,551. an increase of £12,732 on the previous year’s figures. The increase is due mainly to the increased rate of wages, the purchase of technical instruments. materials, office fittings, and the building operations at the plantations. Much of this expenditure will however, be non-recurring. The revenue was £19,697. an increase of £11,183, and was derived mostly from royalties. The borrowing powers under the Finance Acts of 1916 and 1918 were increased under section 16 of the Finance Act, 1920, by £250.000, the total authority now being £500,000. The unexpended balance of the total authority at the end of the financial year was £300,000, which at the present rate of expenditure will be sufficient for three years, but this does not allow for the purchase of timber-bearing lands. To allow the carrying out of predesigned plans for systematic forest management over a number of years it is advisable that suitable financial provision should be made. In order that men with full technical training in forestry may be available for employment as officers in the State Forest Service it is essential that a School of Forestry he established at the earliest possible date in connection with one of the University Colleges.