C.—3,

Section C.—Honorary Staff. 16. As on previous occasions, acknowledgment is made of the valuable; service rendered to the Department and. the cause of forestry generally by the honorary Forest Rangers, who devote so much, of their time to the protection of the forests. Only those imbued with a natural love of the forest and a high sense of public duty could give their time so ungrudgingly to this work. Tin; total number of the honorary staff is now 235, 17 new appointments having been made and 8 resignations received since last year. Section D. —Health and Safety of Employees. 17. The health of the staff has been kept regularly under review by both departmental Inspectors and the Staff Committee. Staff changes made last year in the interest not only of officers but also of their families have proved beneficial to the Service, and further staff changes both in location and in duty will conserve the health of officers and improve their efficiency. 18. The Safety Committee met at regular intervals to consider what measures should be taken to impress upon employees the necessity for taking all possible precautions to prevent accidents. Contacts were made with other Forest Services, industrial undertakings, and Safety Councils at Home and abroad, and much valuable information was secured. In addition to provision for the protection of all moving parts of machines, slogans and illustrated posters depicting the dangers to be avoided when operating certain types of machines were prepared and distributed. Amongst other matters dealt with were the provision of suitable headgear to protect workmen from falling branches and cones whilst tree-felling in exotic forests, and the protection of men employed at the sapstain bath from the action of the chemicals used. I regret to record one fatal accident during the year, but apart from this the position generally has been satisfactory. Of the 229 accidents recorded, cuts accounted for 70, or 30 per cent, of the totaV; crushes and bruises 48, or 21 per cent. ; strains 55, or 24 per cent. ; eye injuries 26, or 11 per cent. ; and septic wounds 15, or 7 per cent. ; leaving miscellaneous 15, or 7 per cent. Expressed in terms of the average monthly casual staff, the accidents represent 19 per cent., as compared with 18 per cent, last year, but both figures show a distinct improvement on previous years. Section E. —Compensation to Employees. 19. The Service is continuing its policy of carrying its own accident-insurance risk, and the wisdom of this practice is amply demonstrated by figures set out below :—

For the past year the estimated premium payable for a comprehensive accident policy would have been £8,570 ; a saving of over £4,000 has thus been effected. Section F. —Recruitment and Training of Staff. 20. This problem has been given constant study during the year. The recruitment and training of technical staff is closely allied to and in many cases overlaps the problem of the provision of executive or General Division staff. Though there are many aspects of this matter which are controversial, there is one point that admits of no dispute. Since the closure of the University Schools of Forestry, the onus of training technical foresters must devolve upon the State Forest Service, as the only forest authority in the Dominion. During the past year, therefore, an attempt has been made to begin a system of training which will ensure that the staff of the future will secure a formal scientific training, as distinct from the departmental training and experience that naturally ensues from work in the Service.

8

Year. Total Payments. Total Wages. Per Cent. (Approx.). __ I V X-* Q 1 1939-40 1,979 282,388 0 14 0 1940-41 .. .. .. 4,470 276,000 1.12 6