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are being Sept strictly within limits, better nursery practices and closer planting espacements have been adopted, and labour will be concentrated on silvicultural improvements in place of extensive planting. CHAPTER lI.—ADMINISTRATION 13. Permanent and Temporary Staff. —Permanent, 309 (254); temporarv- 201 <171); total, 510 (425). The above totals include men still with the Forces, returned servicemen on extended leave (12), and others doing full-time study at the universities (13). Although present staff numbers show an increase of 24 per cent, compared with the number engaged as at Ist April, 1945, the Forest Service must still recruit on a major scale in view of expanding activities and the rehabilitation programme. Efforts have been made to increase present staff in the more senior positions, <for it is apparent that recruitment to the lower ranks •alone will not be sufficient to carry out present and future works. Temporary staffing •difficulties also arise over the need to allocate existing personnel to training duties, but this is inevitable if the present staff shortages are to be overcome. To cope with the ever-increasing volume of staffing problems a formal staff committee was set up and has operated with much success. A co-ordination committee co-operating with regional staffs has supervised the merit marking of officers for promotion. The replacement of officers who have been retained after their normal retiring dates is now necessary, but this position is alleviated by the willingness of these officers to remain ■and assist during the immediate post-war period. 14. Military Service.—Army, 15 (48); R.N.Z.A.F., 5 (31); Navy, 2 (14); and Territorial, nil (4) ; making a total of 22 (97). Staff now remaining with the Forces are almost wholly specialists retained on particular duties and men of an age class retained in the interim Army or in the " J " Force. The Armed Services have been most co-operative in releasing from overseas service forest officers required either for special investigational work overseas or for developmental work in New Zealand. Three officers so released returned to New Zealand after an extensive tour of duty in Canada and the United States of America. One officer specialized on forest-fire prevention and control, one on forest pathology, and one on silviculture. 15. Casual Staff. —Average for year, 1,108 (992). The number employed at the 31st March, 1946, was 1,299, an increase of 310 over the number employed twelve months ago. Although many industries were released from man-power control priorto the 31st March, 1946, employees of the Forest Service remained still subject thereto, but even that protection was insufficient to provide an adequate fire-fighting force at all forests, a, fact that was very evident during the exceptional fire-hazard period from January to March. 16. Honorary Staff. —Honorary forest rangers, 245 (217). New appointments numbering 34 were made, and there were 6 resignations or appointments expired due to ■effluxion of time or removal of the appointee from district. 17. Health of Staff. —Real progress has been made during the year in securing additional timber-measuring staff to replace the older officers who have been retained unduly on these arduous duties, and, while suitable transfers will be arranged during the current year, further field staff will be required before it is possible to suspend cruising activities during the worst winter months. Office accommodation is not keeping pace with staff expansion, causing loss of efficiency as well as poorer general health. Obviously the Forest Service is affected by the strain now being placed on the national building resources, but all possible means to secure even temporary improvements are being taken. 18. Safety of Employees. —Total accidents, 259 (149), made up as follows : cuts, 67 (25) ; strains, 59 (38); fractures, 10 (8); crushes and bruises, 76 (23); septic wounds, 13 (16) ; eye injuries, 12 (7) ; miscellaneous, 20 (18).

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