C,— 3

forests, but in the form of low-grade logs and sawmill waste, since for the utilization of high-grade logs down to 4 in. diameter inside bark (which is the smallest timber usually accepted by pulp-mills) the Scandinavian type of sawmill is as well adapted as the pulping unit, possessing the additional advantages of smaller size and lower investment. Already the production of exotic timber has attained a level of 15,000,000 ft. board measure per annum, and is rapidly increasing, the increase being limited solely by the lack of available supplies of mature trees. All available supplies of thinnings will probably be required for many years to maintain this increasing production ; and the fact that over 80 per cent, of the Dominion's fruit and cheese exports, and enormous quantities of other boxed goods, are shipped in exotic-pine timber containers is evidence of the growing popularity of these woods. Likewise they are replacing white-pine (Podocarpus dacrydioides) for concrete boxing and rimu for rough constructional, scaffolding, and general building framework, while in some districts complete houses and other buildings are being constructed of exotic timbers.

CHAPTER I.—MANAGEMENT. 1. Areas of State Forests as at 31st March, 1934. TABLE 1.

At the close of the year the total area under Forest Service control was 7,881,574 acres, a net increase of 40,136 acres when compared with the figures for the previous year. The total new area proclaimed was 38,490 acres, and the area withdrawn from reservation 8,048 acres. Although since the inception of the Service fourteen years ago the area dedicated to forestry has progressively increased by approximately 4,000,000 acres, or by more than 50 per cent., it does not yet comprise 12 per cent, of the superficial area of the whole Dominion—a fact which provides food for serious thought when it is stated that in the considered opinion of Old World foresters of recognized repute an insular country such as ours, to attain the minimum safety-point, should, as a general rule, have not less than 25 per cent, of its area placed under forest management. The largest individual block withdrawn was 2,300 acres of cut-over bush land in North Auckland, which was made available for settlement under the Land Act; a block of 1,900 acres was added to the Sounds National Park, whilst areas set apart as scenic reserves in various parts of the Dominion accounted for another 964 acres. Other areas released for settlement were (in land districts) North Auckland, 760 acres; Nelson, 1,000 acres ; Marlborough, 132 acres; and Westland, 883 acres. Certain adjustments to the total area were rendered necessary during the year owing to later surveys, amendments of existing boundaries, &c., and these corrections resulted in the grand total being increased by 9,693 acres. The following tables (Nos. 2 and 3) summarize the changes in area referred to :—

TABLE 2. Summary of Areas withdrawn from State and Provisional State Forest Reservation, 1st April, 1933, to 31st March, 1934.

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State Forests. j Provisional State Forests. Percentage of Forest Conservation m Area Region. National , T Totals. in Region Ordinary. Endow- Ordinary. „ , 10na ' under ment. Endowment. Reservation. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Auckland .. 172,698 38,218 246,136 57,709 514,761 5-99 Rotorua .. 318,465 227,881 151,721 92,414 790,481 15-73 Wellington .. 881,336 37,309 106,473 36,231 1,061,349 7-09 Nelson .. 196,093 29,836 1,290,910 717,903 2,234,742 31-89 Westland .. 455,318 54,340 669,594 539,473 1,718,725 44-48 Canterbury .. 332,746 3,647 .. .. 336,393 3-39 Southland .. 277,902 .. 880,187 67,034 1,225,123 7-22 Totals .. 2,634,558 391,231 3,345,021 1,510,764 7,881,574 11-87

For Settlement Purposes. For Scenic For Recreation For National Forest Conservation Reserve: Reserve: Park • Re § ion ' State Provisional Provisional Provisional Provisional Tota) ' Forest. State Forest. State Forest. State Forest. State Forest. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Auckland .. 2,348 781 .. .. .. 3,129 Rotorua .. 2 .. .. .. .. 2 Nelson .. 133 1,000 964 .. .. 2,097 Westland .. 39 844 .. .. .. 883 Southland .. .. .. .. 38 1,900 1,938 i Totals .. 2,522 2,625 964 38 j 1,900 8,049