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Scenic Eesebves. I am not aware that any of these are at present being conserved as their importance demands. My duties necessitate a good deal of travelling throughout the colony, and I have frequently found considerable damage being done on scenic reserves both by illegal cutting of timber and trespass by stock. Unless these reserves are protected and properly conserved they will undoubtedly become of little value for the purpose for which they have been set apart. Much good work is being done in various parts of the colony by beautifying associations, amenities societies, and Domain Boards by planting and improving reserves both in towns, suburbs, and country districts. Such work deserves the most liberal encouragement from the Government by supplying trees and shrubs gratuitously, as well as by affording advice from experts on the varieties of trees, &c, that should be planted, mode of planting, and generally by assisting in mapping out a scheme for the attainment of the object in view. Many scenic reserves could thus be improved and waste places made beautiful by intrusting their care to such societies, the members of which are usually enthusiastic arboriculturists. Suggested Measures foe Protection op Natural Forests. Any scheme that can be suggested for the protection of our forests must necessarily be an expensive one, and in many cases difficult of application, owing to their large extent and to their being scattered over the whole colony. Fencing to exclude stock of all kinds would be all that is necessary, and the rest could be left to nature but for the trespass of man. No doubt in districts infested with rabbits and hares the erection of wire-netting fences would be found necessary to cope with these pests. For the prevention of damage by man the existing regulations at present in force are probably sufficient, provided that active supervision by Forest Eangers is attended to. Where Crown forests join agricultural areas wide fire belts should be cleared, and these either planted or sown with varieties of non-inflammable shrubs or trees, such as wattle. In many parts of the colony the mere clearing and burning of, say, 100-link-wide fire belts around the forest would form a sufficient safeguard against the spread of fire from adjoining lands, as the native fuchsia, tarata, mahoe, putaputa-weta, makomaka, mapau, karamu, &c, appear immediately after burning in such profusion that they provide naturally a most efficient barrier against the spread of fire. This is but nature's method of guarding against encroachment on her preserves. Each separate forest-area will probably require special treatment by way of conservation, so that no general scheme can be laid down as applicable alike to all. Walker, Lecoy, Perrin, and others have already furnished the Government with their views on this important subject, and from these reports and the available records and regulations connected with forest-conservation in Europe, India, and America the proposed Commissioners of Forestry could select such measures as they consider necessary to the colony's requirements. Suggestions eegarding the Reorganization of the State Foeest Depaetment. 1. That the entire control of all Crown forests, whether State forests, ordinary Crown forests, or plantations, be placed under a Board of, say, three Commissioners, consisting of the SurveyorGeneral, Chief of the Forest Department, and a practical sawmiller. 2. That all scenic reserves be placed under a Board, consisting of the head of the Tourist Department, the Commissioner of Crown Lands for the district, and the Chief of the Forest Department. The first duties of the Forestry Commissioners would be to have detailed surveys made of all Crown-land forests, State, ordinary, or timber-preservation reserves by competent rangers, who would estimate the quantity, quality, and area of such. General and index plans should be prepared, showing the boundaries of all reserves, scenic, climatic, timber reservations, and State forests. Eeports might be obtained from Commissioners of Crown Lands regarding any desirable reservations at present in the hands of private persons. Beports should also be obtained regarding any Crown or private lands suitable for afforestation. Such lands should, if possible, be easy of access either by rail, river, or sea. With this information the Forest Commissioners would be in a position to determine whether the present planting operations are sufficient to provide timber for future use, also if the remaining native forests will continue to supply the present demand until artificial ones are mature. The Commissioners would also consider whether the existing timber regulations are suitable to the altered conditions consequent on the extraordinary demands made on our resources during late years. Special reports should be made on all properties acquired by Government under the Land for Settlements Act, with the view of reserving any lands that may be considered suitable for afforestation should portions of such lands be unfit for either pastoral or agricultural purposes. Legislation may be found necessary in order to resume lands for afforestation, in the same manner as for other public purposes. Probably the encouragement of planting by private enterprise should receive attention by way of the publication of literature on this important subject. Many other matters could be mentioned as worthy of consideration by the Commissioners, but the more pressing necessities only are given, leaving minor details to be dealt with later, when the question of direction is determined. H. J. Matthews, Chief Forester. Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given; printing (1,250 copies), £4 S)s.

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