D.—No. 22,

right direction, and has been productive of a certain amount of good. It was recommended by its economy, and accepted at a time when a larger sum would have been refused by the Provincial Council. The amount collected by these Rangers as license fees, contrasts strongly with the almost utter absence of such payments during the lawless period which preceded their appointment. But that the protection thus afforded is as perfect and efficient as it should be, no one can contend. Not that the Rangers thus appointed have been negligent or indifferent, for I believe they have performed their duty in every case to the utmost of their power : but because, from the very nature of their occupation, the attention which ought to be shown to the preservation of the timber can only be a matter of secondary interest to them. The districts under their charge are extensive, and their visits to the various localities seem to be made at regular intervals. Their time, I should imagine, is too fully occupied to permit them to inspect, even -cursorily, the state of the reserves under their care. They must, in fact, be regarded as mere collectors of revenue and nothing more. But however important the collection of revenue arising from the timber reserves may be, their protection from wanton and indiscriminate destruction is a matter of still greater moment. This, lam convinced, can only be. effected by the appointment of a Ranger, whose whole time shall be devoted to the management of these reserves. Such a person would have no other conflicting duties to perform, and would thus be enabled to inspect them thoroughly, and by visiting the different localities suddenly and unexpectedly, would in a very great measure suppress the depredations of unlicensed, and the wanton waste of licensed cutters. I despair, however, of being able to convince the Provincial Council that the protection of our forest land is a matter of .such present and paramount necessity as to justify it in voting a salary equivalent to the services which such an appointment would entail upon the Ranger. I can only hope that the General Government will be induced to regard it not in a Provincial, but (as sooner or later must be the case) in a Colonial light, and at once set apart and undertake the administration of such reserved tracts of forest land, at any rate in our more thickly timbered districts. From my own knowledge of the settled lands in this Province, where timber is not very abundant, I am convinced that in other parts of the Colony, longer occupied but not s-o favourably situated in this respect as ourselves, the supply must be by this time pretty nearly exhausted. By timely attention devoted to the preservation of our bush in the manner I have suggested, I am convinced that the presence of timber, which in some parts is now a positive hindrance to the sale of land, will ere long render its value incalculable. I have, &c, Walteb H. Peaesoh", His Honor the Superintendent. Commissioner of Crown Lands.

No. 3. His Honor J. P. Taylor to the Hon. E. W. Staitoed. Superintendent's Office, Sib,— Southland, N.Z., 14th December, 1868. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your circular, No. 513, of 27th November, enclosing copy of a Resolution of the House of Representatives desiring that steps might be taken to ascertain the present condition of the Forests of the Colony, with a view to their better conservation, and now annex, as you desire, replies to the various questions on this subject suggested by Dr. Hector. I have, &c, John P. Tayloe, The Hon. tne Colonial Secretary. Superintendent.

Enclosure in No. 3. Replies to Dr. Hectoe's Questions accompanying the Hon. the Colonial Secretary's Circular of 27th November, 1868, concerning the Condition of the Forests of this Province. Superintendent's Office, Southland, N.Z., 14th December, 1868. 1. Abea about 766,333 acres, chiefly mixed bush of totara, matai, miro, rimu, kaikatea, black and red birch, kaomahi, manuka, &c. None has been sold under 20s. per acre under the present Land Regulations ; and where bush reserves have been subdivided for the purpose of sale in thicklytimbered districts, they have been put up at £5, and sold as high as £6 15s. per acre. 2. Original area about 816,000 acres, of which one-half is in Stewart's Island. 3. Still Crown lands, about 766,333 acres. 4. It is impossible to estimate the destruction that has taken place. Bush land is so plentiful in this Province that the waste of timber has only been felt in districts very thinly wooded. Very little timber has has been felled for building or fencing purposes on freehold. 5. Very little destruction has been caused from firing the grass lands, and none, I should think, by cattle. The chief cause of damage has been by the abuse of bush-licenses, and in my opinion for want of efficient supervision, which can only be attained by maintaining a paid inspector, as was the case here till the Provincial Council refused to vote his salary on the resumption of the management of the waste lands by the Province. It is the opinion of the Commissioner of Crown Lands that such an Inspector should be appointed and paid by the Greneral Government, as no alterations can, according to the Land Regulations, be made in the bye-laws for the management of timbered lands, without the Crovernor's sanction. 6. No such instance has occurred. (lα.) It would be very unwise to attempt to follow the same system in all districts alike. In thinly-wooded parts of the country, where the bushes are far apart and of small extent, the obviously

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