C.-4.

The original area of a sawmill license may not exceed 200 acres, nor with this limit be less than at the rate of 10 acres for each nominal horse-power of the mill in connection with which it is granted, but the holder may apply to have one or more additional areas of not more than 200 acres each, adj oining each other, reserved for his exclusive use. The total areas so granted shall not exceed the following amounts : — Acres. Where the nominal horse-power of a mill, does not exceed 8 h.p. .. . . 300 Where it is 9or 10 h.p. .. .. . . .. .. .. 400 11 or 12 „ .. .. . . .. .. .. 500 13 or 14 „ .. .. .. .. .. .. 600 15 or 16 „ .. .. .. .. .. .. 800 17 or 18 „ .. .. .. .. .. .. 900 19 or 20 „ .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,000 21 or 22 „ .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,200 between 22 and 30 h.p. .. .. .. .. .. 1,300 From 30 h.p. upwards . . .. . . .. .. .. 1,500 Royalty is payable by the sawmiller to the Crown either on the sawn output of the mill, or on the estimated amount of milling-timber in the forest standing on the area licensed. A period' of from four to twenty-one years is granted for the felling of the timber upon a sawmill area. For auction sales it is usual to have the timber classed and estimated, to fix the upset price, and publish the particulars, with the conditions of sale attached, prescribing rates and date-limits of removal, way-leaves, payments, and surrender of the cleared areas to the Department. Sometimes the Department elects to exercise its power of reserving trees required for special purposes, and these trees are branded "F.R.," and cannot be cut by licensees. AH kauri timber for the supply of existing mills shall be'sold by public tender, after due notification, estimation, and appraisement; but special licenses for single trees or clumps of trees not exceeding 100,000 superficial feet for any one license may be granted by the Conservator, with the approval of the Commissioner, on payment of such fees as they may fix. Special licenses may be granted for cutting single trees or clumps, after appraisement and report by the proper officers, by auction or in any other way, on conditions fixed by the Department. They are issued to hand-sawyers, wood cutters and splitters, and also to adjoining settlers, for firewood and fencing-posts, &c. In all disputes as to correctness of valuation, or statement of timber cut, or of damage done, the decision of the proper authority is final, and payment must be made at once, with right reserved to the licensee to appeal to any Court of competent jurisdiction for refund. DETAILS OF FOREST-TREES AND USES. The accompanying reports on each of the land districts of New Zealand contain particulars of the different kinds of indigenous trees therein, and give also the estimated area of forest land, and the quantity of millable timber to be found thereon. These reports will be valuable as forming a permanent record of the state of our timber wealth in 1909. It is not generally known what a variety of forest-trees grow throughout the Dominion, and, as will be seen from a perusal of the remarks appended to their names, our timbers may be used for a variety of purposes that are not recognised by the public. It is hoped that the growing scarcity of timber may induce carpenters, cabinetmakers, and builders to regard with a more favourable eye much that has hitherto been neglected. Both in variety of grain, texture, and appearance, our native timbers are very attractive, and should be much more in demand than they are. Lack of sufficient seasoning may often prevent them from giving as favourable results as some of the imported timber ; but, with greater care in cutting our forest-trees at suitable times of the year, and in seasoning the timber before subsequent use, it is felt that much wood that is now disregarded could be profitably utilised commercially, and would assist to meet the growing consumption of timber. Timber-merchants and others are therefore advised to read and earnestly consider the remarks and recommendations set forth in the accompanying descriptions and reports regarding various trees at present unknown to them, or other trees of whose properties they may be unaware. REVIEW OF DISTRICTS. The Auckland District is the most important from a timber point of view in the whole of the Dominion, as it contains a larger variety and greater quantity of available milling-timbers than any other district at the present time. It is estimated that on Crown lands alone no less than 1,425,873,144 sup. ft. of milling-timber is now standing, of which 209,627,889 sup. ft. is kauri, whilst on private lands there is a total amount of 4,799,240,713 sup. ft., of which 275,819,100 sup. ft. is kauri. As is well known, kauri, the finest timber of New Zealand, is only found in this distrct, and is now rapidly diminishing. Each year the demand is greater than ever, whilst the supply is correspondingly less, and most of the Auckland sawmillers and timber-merchants have been unable to supply all their orders for some considerable time. Although the demand for other timbers has recently slackened off, that for kauri increases, and one of the chief reasons for milling available kauri-trees is the great difficulty of protecting them from the bush-fires which periodically sweep through the district. Kauri, from its inflammable nature, is, more than any other class of timber, very difficult to preserve, and the resin which exudes from the trees, and the debris at the foot, is very susceptible to fire. The

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