H.—44

4

especially in regard to white-pine, are contained in the second annual report, while the third annual report gives a further outline of the general policy that was developed by the Government in dealing with timber-supplies. On the Government deciding upon a policy of restricting trade in timber to ensure that export should be limited to the quantity produced in excess of the Dominion's requirements, and to give some measure of protection to our native forests, the Board of Trade was entrusted with the carryingout of the regulations gazetted on the 6th August, 1918, and has worked in this connection under the control of the Hon. Sir Francis Bell, Commissioner of State Forests. All difficulties in securing supplies by users of white-pine were first attended to and adjusted, and later the absolute quantity of rimu that could be exported was fixed on a decreasing sliding scale aimed at terminating the export of this class of timber in.ten years. In regard to kauri the absolute quantity that could be exported was fixed on a sliding scale aimed at reducing the export to nil in six years and a half. In respect to totara the absolute prohibition of export has been enforced; and in regard to matai at first only the classes not required in the Dominion were allowed to be exported, and now the export of matai is totally prohibited. With regard to white-pine, export is allowed of the quantity produced in excess of the requirements of the New Zealand market. Amending regulations relating to the export of timber were published in the New Zealand Gazette of the 19th August, 1919, when it was laid down : — " Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Timber Regulations of the 6th August, 1918, as amended on the 18th day of February, 1919, the Board of Trade shall not, without the consent of the Minister in charge of the said regulations, issue permits for the export of any rimu, kauri, or beech timber produced in New Zealand during the several periods mentioned in the schedule hereto in excess of the quantities severally specified in that schedule for the said periods. " Schedule. " Part I. — Maximum Quantity of Rimu for which Permits to export may be granted. " Periods— Ist July, 1919, to 31st March, 1920 .. .. .. .. 22,000,000 ft. Ist April, 1920, to 31st March, 1921 .. .. .. .. 27,000,000 ft. Ist April, 1921, to 31st March, 1922 .. .. .. .. 24,000,000 ft. " Part II. — Maximum Quantity of Kauri for which Permits to export may be granted. " Periods— Ist October, 1919, to 31st March, 1920 .. .. .. .. 5,000,000 ft. Ist April, 1920, to 31st March, 1921 .. .. .. .. 8,500,000 ft. Ist April, 1921, to 31st March, 1922 .. .. .. .. 7,000,000 ft. " Part 111. — Maximum Quantity of Beech for which Permits to export may be granted. " Period— Ist July, 1919, to 31st March, 1920 .. .. .. .. 2,200,000 ft." The prices of timber were fixed considerably below the export value, and this intensified the demand for building-timber at the prices ruling in New Zealand. Consequently the Board had to determine the respective advantages and disadvantages of export and local trade, and had to collect and compile statistics dealing with the production of the Dominion in order that it might divert to the local market as much timber as it was reasonable to ask the millers to supply. The statistics of timber-production for the year ended 31st March, 1918, were published in the third annual report of the Board of Trade. They were the first reliable statistics of our timbersupplies, and therefore any comparison with pre-war production is out of the question. Following is a return of the various classes of timber produced in New Zealand during the years ended 31st March, 1920 and 1921 :— m 4- rr- r, 192 °- 1921 - ™„„« r.t Ti m w 192 °- 192 1Class oi Timber. gup ft gup> ft _ Class of Timber. Sup _ ft _ gup _ ft _ Rimu .. .. 145,584,203 150,708,970 Tanekaha .. 54,338 White-pine .. 82,419,821 78,056,047 Pukeatea .. 20,000 664 Kauri .. .. 22,598,391 19,663,955 Kawhaka .. 50,000 Totara .. .. 14,414,298 17,901,178 Silver-pine .. 50,000 53,941 Matai .. .. 17,820,597 22,776,424 Pinus insignia .. 3,064,201 6,240,428 Beech .. .. 7,169,146 7,545,651 Blue-gum .. 80,000 207,706 Taraire .. .. 174,650 4,608 Hinau .. .. 4,247 597 Totals .. 293,683,892 303,160,169 For the year ended 31st March, 1921, in addition to the output (303,160,169 sup. ft.) recorded above, there was a production of —Rata, 2,000 ft.; tawa, 1,401,505 ft.; rewarewa, 60,000 ft.; cedar, 43,101 ft.; puriri, 100,000 ft.; poplar, 153,819 ft.; and various and mixed timbers, 1,252,322 ft. These additional quantities bring the total output for 1920-21 up to 306,172,916 ft. It should be noted that there has been a remarkable increase in the output of Pinus insignis, which in the latest year exceeded 6,000,000 ft. Of this output a total of 2,278,670 ft. was exported. This timber is being put to a variety of uses, including box-making and the construction of houses. On the 31st March, 1918, there were 277 sawmills operating in New Zealand, whereas at the present time there are 365 mills. The following is a comparative return of the output, export, and quantity placed on the New Zealand market of rimu, kauri, matai, and totara for the years ended 31st March, 1918, 1920, and 1921. This statement indicates the effect of the system of timber-control introduced in 1918.