11

C—3a.

In both the Manawatu and Wairarapa, converters frequently acquire the freehold, and, after clearing the timber, lay down the land in grass, either retaining it for farming purposes or disposing of it at prices which usually cover first cost and all subsequent expenses directly connected with the improvement of the land : in fact it is no uncommon thing for unimproved land to be sold at a higher price after the convertible timber has been cleared than was originally paid. An instance of this kind was brought under my notice in the Manawatu in which land purchased at £5 per acre realized £5 10s. immediately after the removal of the totara and rimu : so that in many cases the timber is obtajned free of cost except possibly a small percentage for interest on the original purchase during the time occupied in removal. The remarks made with regard to totara in Hawke's Bay apply equally to totara in the Wellington District: the percentage of waste is often very large, as I had occasion to witness at Taonui, where the actual yield of a fine grove is considerably reduced by the partial decay of the tops, although the sound timber is of the best quality. I have already mentioned the large returns sometimes afforded by totara, and in proof thereof may state the exact figures obtained from a small grove belonging to Mr. A. Grammer, and situate near the mouth of the Pohangina. That gentleman informed mo that the grove did not exceed thirty acres in extent, all told, and was leased to Messrs. Warne and Beard, whose mill was supplied by it for a period of two years, and who paid a royalty of Is. 3d. per 100ft. superficial, which on 3,104,000ft. amounted to £1,940. This gives an average yield of 103,466ft. superficial, equivalent to £64 13s. 4d. per acre. These figures were subsequently confirmed by Messrs. Warne and Beard on my paying a visit to their mill. The timber on ordinary mixed-forest land, if of fairly good quality and accessible by tramway, is estimated by saw-millers to be worth £5 per acre. During the past year the average price for red-pine at the mills has been 6s. 6d. per 100ft. superficial; white-pine, 4s. 6d. to 55.; totara, 10s. to 14s. 6d.; matai, 6s. 6d.; black-maire, 22s to 30s. In the value of its timber export, as well as in its annual output, Wellington ranks next to Auckland. Although the actual quantity shipped is rather less than that of Southland, its value is nearly twice as great, which is owing to its containing a larger proportion of totara, shipments from Southland consisting chiefly of red- and white-pine. During the year ending the 31st March, 1884, the quantity and value of the timber export of Wellington and Southland respectively were: Wellington, 1,134,960 superficial feet, £8,113; Southland, 1,312,909 superficial feet, £4,536. The total quantity of timber carried on the three railway lines of the southern part of the North Island during 1884 amounted to 103,218 tons, which was divided in a singularly equable manner, as under :— M ., Firewood. Timber. Total. °3, Tons. Tons. Sup. Feet. Tons. 76 Napier-Tahoraite ... 13,235 ... 20,883 = 10,441,400 ... 34,118 129 New Plymouth-Foxton ... 13,115 ... 22,218 = 11,109,000 ... 35.333 71 Wellington-Masterton ... 12,160 ... 21,607 = 10,803,700 ... 33,767 38,510 ... 64,708 = 32,354,100 ... 103,218