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the Public Works, Railways, and other Departments of the State, and that the timber thereon might be cut and milled under Government supervision and management. Use of Timber for Wood-pulp. The increasing demand for wood-pulp for papermaking is one of the features of the timber industry in other countries, and it is highly desirable that this phase of the question should be considered by the Government. Under the provisions of section 141 of " The Land Act, 1908," areas of Crown land aggregating 50,000 acres may be set aside and leased under special conditions for wood-pulp-making purposes, and regulations published in the Gazette of the Bth April, 1909, prescribed the terms and conditions on which the lands might be leased. Some time ago a company was formed to lease the lands in Westland that have been set aside under the Act, and we are informed that arrangements are now being made to commence operations at an early date; but we are of opinion that the establishment of the industry should be assisted in other parts of the Dominion. It is suggested that much of the timber that is left by sawmillers, both in the bush and at the mill, might be utilised for wood-pulp making. We think that greater efforts should be made to use the vast supplies of timber that exist in New Zealand for pulp-making, together with the manufacture of wood-spirit, potash, charcoal, and other commercial products. With the foregoing object in view we recommend that the Government should have our various timbers tested, so as to discover which of them are suitable for this purpose. Sale of Timber in Mining Districts. This is a matter which was brought under the notice of the Commission, and merits consideration. The present position appears to be that, by " The Mining Act, 1908 " (sections 147 to 152), timber on Crown land within mining districts is divided into two classes. Certain timber areas are set aside as " Land Board areas " and administered by the Land Board of the district, who allot licenses for sawmilling on same to applicants who pay royalty for the timber they use, according to the scale prescribed by the Forest Regulations. Of the royalty so received, onehalf (less all expenses of collection, inspection of areas, and administration) is treated as territorial revenue, and paid into the Consolidated Fund, whilst the other half (subject to no deductions) is paid over to the local body in whose district the area is situated. The remaining timber areas are set aside as " Warden's areas," and licenses to cut timber thereon for mining purposes are issued by the Warden of the mining district, to applicants approved by him. The whole of the revenue so obtained is treated as goldfields revenue, and paid over to the local bodies. Moreover, if thought advisable, the Warden may deal with any Land Board area, but there is no provision by which a Land Board may deal with a Warden's area. The Land Board has a staff of Rangers and surveyors at its disposal for inspection purposes, and is thus in a position to obtain the fullest information relative to the value and quantity of trees on any area, and the advisability of milling same; but the Warden has no such staff, and, if he desires to obtain details of his areas, has to request the Land Board to supply him with a report made by its officers. This dual control does not seem to have been satisfactory, and we axe of opinion that the sale of timber within mining districts would be better dealt with by the Land Board alone, and that the present partial control by the Warden is not in the best interests of the community. For example, it was staled that in some cases the Wardens have granted licenses to persons who have felled, milled, and exported the timber from New Zealand in direct contravention of the spirit of the Mining Act, which is to the effect that timber on AVarden's areas is to be used for mining purposes only. Planting of Willow-trees. As public attention has been drawn to what is becoming a widespread nuisance in many parts of the Dominion, it may be well to place on record the

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