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BEPOBT.

To His Excellency the Eight Honourable Arthur De Brito Savile, Earl of Liverpool, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Dominion of New Zealand and its Dependencies. May it. please. Your Excellency,— We, the Commissioners appointed by Your Excellency on the 11th day of February, 1913, to inouire by all lawful means into the condition of forestry in New Zealand, and for that purpose to inspect the forest lands of the Dominion and the State nurseries and plantations, and to report on the several matters referred to in the Commission, a copy of which is attached hereto, have Ihe honour to report as follows : — We assembled at Wellington on the 26th February and held + hree meetings, nt whiHb our itinerary was arranged, and various matters discussed. The Hon. W. F. Massev, Primp Minister of the Dominion, was present at the opening of the first meeting, and briefly addresed us on the objects of the Commission. The Chairman Mr. Haszard, also delivered a short opening address. Leaving , Wellington on the evening; of the 28th February, the Commission reached Invereargill on the Ist March, and a public sitting - there in the Government Buildings on the 3rd March. Since the subiects of our inquiry were of great Dublic interest we decided to admit the public and the Press to all our sittings, excepting such as were held in committee, and to advertise beforehand the dates and place of such in the local newspapers. Whilst in Southland your Commission visited the Longwood Forest, the Waiau Forest, and the Wa,ikawa Forest, viewing at the same time a considerable portion of the Southland Plain. A visit was also paid to th° Bluff, and an inspection made of the Government timber-preserving; work« at Kew, where we examined various samples of timber treated by the Powellizing process. On the 6th March your Commission proceeded to Tapanui. making; an inspection of the Government nursery the same day under the o-iridance of Mr. R. G. Robinson, Superintending Nurseryman for the South Island. The next day was spent, in company with Mr. Robinson, in examining" the D"sky HiH plantations, and in paying a brief visit to the silver-beech forest in Whisky Gully, Blue Mountains. Leaving Tapanui on the Bth March we reached Dunedin the same evening. A public sitting was held in that city at the Land Office on the 11th March. While in Dunedin and neighbourhood your Commission visited where, in the grounds of the Mental Hospital, under the guidance of Dr. Ross, the Superintendent, we examined a remarkable self-sown growth of an Australian gum (Eucalyptus numerosd). A visit was also made, in company with Mr. D. Tannock, to the plantations that are being planted in the Leith Valley by the Dunedin Corporation. In view of the use of timber for paper pulp, the papermill at Woodhaugh was also visited. 'On the 12th March your Commission iourneyed to Ranfurlv, on the Manioto+o Plain. Central Otago, accompanied by Mr. R. G. Robinson, and inspected the nurs p ry and the several plantations in that neighbourhood. Naseby w r as also visited, and the trees growing in that relatively cold climate noted. The next day we proceeded to Cromwell by rail, and had an opportunity of seeing some of the depleted area of Central Otago. On the 14th March, in order to further study the conditions for afforestation in the dry treeless districts of Central Otago and the Mackenzie Plains, your Commission proceeded to Lake Pukaki, via the Lindis Pass and Otarama. The following day we proceeded to Timaru by wav of Lake Tekapo and Fairlie, examining en route certain plantations of the Mackenzie County Council. At Timaru your Commission divided into subcommittees, Messrs. Clarke and

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